Seizing Momentum on Climate Action: Nexus between Net-Zero Commitment Concern, Destination Competitiveness, Influencer Marketing, and Regenerative Tourism Intention

Abstract

Embracing net-zero principles and planet-friendly regenerative tourism practices can reduce our carbon footprint and increase momentum toward carbon neutral. The present study explored the effects of the net-zero commitment concern on regenerative tourism intention, including the moderating influence of destination competitiveness and influencer marketing on this relationship. Drawing on a survey of international expat tourists (N = 540) and partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), the present study offers ground-breaking empirical evidence on the significantly positive influence of the net-zero commitment concern on regenerative tourism intention. Importantly, the PLS-SEM estimations also validated that destination competitiveness and influencer marketing strengthened the effects of the net-zero commitment concern on regenerative tourism intention through significantly positive moderations. The present study implications offer strategic guidelines and an advancement in prior knowledge on the net-zero commitment concern, destination competitiveness, influencer marketing, and regenerative tourism intention with an aim to increase the collective global efforts toward climate action. Moreover, the present study used prominent theories (i.e., the theory of planned behavior, game theory, resilience theory, and social learning theory) to guide future investigations on the complex nexus between net-zero commitment, destination competitiveness, influencer marketing, and regenerative tourism intention.