Sustainability of marine park ecotourism in Malaysia: predicting environmentally responsible behaviour among millennial tourists

Abstract

Promoting environmentally responsible behaviours (ERB) in ecotourism destinations such as marine park islands has become an important strategy because of growing concern on global depletion of natural environmental resources, but few studies have been able to provide a comprehensive explanation. This study aims to examine the antecedents of ERB among millennial tourists by proposing an extended model of ERB. Cross-sectional data from 386 cases were analysed using structural equation modelling and the results indicate that image, attitude, knowledge and consumption values have positive influence on intentions. Destination image and sound environmental knowledge turned out to be the main influences on their intention, with attitude and consumption values playing a minor role. This study also confirms that intention is a strong precursor of behaviour. This paper suggests the importance of providing educational programs as well as practising informative green marketing campaigns to encourage millennial tourists to behave responsibly.