We tested a structural model that integrates protection motivation theory with the individual’s (farmer’s) climate change adaptation process. The model helps us grasp the effects of climate change perception and hypothetical shifts in destination attractiveness, as well as threat and coping appraisals in light of tourists’ adaptation intentions in coastal destinations. We collected a total of 333 on-site valid questionnaires from domestic tourists at Kenting National Park in Taiwan and analysed the structural relationships in the aforementioned study constructs using structural equation modelling. Our findings show that when tourists have a higher level of perception regarding global climate change, they believe that destination attractiveness will decrease. When presented with scenarios of hypothetical shifts in destination attractiveness, tourists with higher levels of adaptation intention will perceive greater levels of threat to tourism behaviours, as well as higher effectiveness in adaptive measures. We confirmed that the proposed theoretical framework for tourists’ adaptation intention toward climate change is useful; the framework also sheds light on tourists’ acknowledgement of hypothetical alterations in destination attractiveness caused by climate change, in addition to their psychological adaptations. We discuss theoretical and practical implications.
25 July 2023 in Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management
The purpose of the study was to examine the relations of five dimensions of free-time management (including goal setting and evaluating, technique, values, immediate response, and scheduling) with leisure boredom, and whether these factors could predict leisure boredom. A total of 500 undergraduates from a university in southern Taiwan were surveyed with 403 usable questionnaires was returned. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that five dimensions of free-time management had significant negative relationships with leisure boredom. Furthermore, the results of stepwise regression analysis revealed that four dimensions of free-time management were significant contributors to leisure boredom. Finally, we suggested students can avoid boredom by properly planning and organizing leisure time and applying techniques for managing leisure time.
Few studies have examined the issue of the sustainable destination development of hot spring from tourists’ perspective. This study thus proposes a model for sustainable tourism development of hot spring destinations following poverty alleviation in local communities. This model is based on environmental (environmental cognition), sociocultural (hot spring experience, food experience, and attitude toward cultural landscape), and economic (revisit intention) dimensions (factors) of sustainability. The analysis of 271 valid on-site questionnaires about the Conghua hot spring destination in Guangzhou, China, showed that the attitude toward cultural landscape, hot spring experiences, and environmental cognition are the important factors that influence the intention of tourists to revisit hot spring. These findings are based on the level of importance; however, food experience did not play a significant role. Through the cultural landscape, the connection between tourists and destinations is strengthened, which helps to increase the likelihood of tourists revisiting the destination. This study found that the purpose of cultural legacy can be achieved while balancing environmental development issues, and is one of the guidelines for sustainable development in poverty alleviation in destination.
Although previous research has confirmed that climate change impacts tourism systems, few studies have explored the differences in tourists’ adaptation intentions in response to diverse climate change perceptions. Therefore, this study compared two tourist groups with high and low climate change perception levels to understand their adaptation intentions based on protection motivation theory. A valid sample totaling 696 domestic tourists visiting Kenting National Park in Taiwan was surveyed. The results revealed that the low-perception tourist group had externally-oriented adaptation, with the perceived external environment or information dissemination impacting adaptation intention. However, the high-perception tourist group’s adaptation intention was internally-oriented, relating to their self-control and personal core values. This study’s findings contribute to the literature on different psychological viewpoints for understanding tourists’ adaptation intentions based on the protection motivation theory in the context of climate change. Destination management organizations should consider the responding adaptation intention of different tourists and formulate corresponding environmental destination management strategies.
This study identifies the destination attributes of sustainable urban waterfronts that are frequently mentioned in tourists’ online reviews. We analyzed the influence of these attributes on tourists’ ratings based on stimuli–organism–response theory, and the associations between these destination attributes. The online reviews (both text reviews and star ratings) from TripAdvisor and Google Maps of the sustainable waterfront destinations of the Liuchuan and Luchuan rivers in Taichung city (Taiwan) were collected and analyzed through text and data mining. Destination attributes were grouped into two types: sustainable landscapes (aesthetics, water resource rehabilitation, sustainable lighting, emotional experiences, and low-impact development waterfronts) and sustainable recreational spaces (leisure activities, festivals, inclusive destinations, photography, and tourist experiences). Two destination attributes common to-- both types were identified: nightscapes and waterfronts. These attributes predicted tourists’ ratings through support vector machine analysis. Sensitivity analysis revealed that sustainable landscape-type attributes had a greater impact on tourists’ ratings than the sustainable recreational space type. In addition, three important association rules between twelve attributes were identified and these helped provide information pattern combination attributes from tourists’ comments with support and confidence for the destination attributes. These findings will contribute to urban planning and design in relation to sustainable waterfront destinations. They highlight the need for planners to consider both tourists’ landscapes and recreational needs in order to achieve economic and ecological sustainability.