A lack of credibility in the tourism sector is becoming a social and environmental concern. This article argues that destination source credibility as a destination-level stimulus can have significant influences on tourist environmentally responsible behavior (TERB). Based on the stimulus-organism-response theory, this article developed an integrated model of the relationship between destination source credibility and TERB, with destination image (cognitive and affective) and place attachment as mediators. Three sets of survey data were collected at a Chinese national wetland park (N = 451), a world heritage cultural landscape site (N = 453), and a world cultural heritage site (N = 450). The serial multiple mediation model was tested through combining bootstrapping and Bayesian approaches. Results indicated that destination source credibility enhanced tourists’ cognitive and affective image, place attachment, and TERB. In addition, the effect of destination source credibility on TERB was partially and sequentially mediated by (cognitive and then affective) destination image and place attachment, among which place attachment emerged as the most powerful mediator. Robustness of these findings was confirmed across different destination types. Theoretical contribution and practical implication for sustainable destination management are discussed.

This research adopts the view that tourists can feel destinations belong to them emotionally (destination psychological ownership). An ownership route for promoting tourist environmentally responsible behavioral intentions (TERBI) is examined based on the theory of planned behavior, with perceived environmental responsibility and place attachment as mediators. Data were collected from two samples in Hangzhou: Gen Z (n = 549) and older generations (n = 547). The results showed that destination psychological ownership is not directly related to TERBI; perceived environmental responsibility and place attachment mediate the relationship between destination psychological ownership and TERBI. Place attachment is the most critical mediating variable. The levels of TERBI are significantly lower among Gen Z tourists; however, the effect of subjective norms on TERBI is stronger for Gen Z than for other generations. This research provides theoretical and managerial implications to understand better the role of destination psychological ownership in facilitating TERBI.

The importance of pro-environmental behavior in tourism has been established, but explaining its sub-dimensions, especially in the private and public dimensions, is under-researched. Existing literature on tourism research mainly uses SEM to analyze tourist pro-environmental behavior, while fsQCA is scarcely implemented. In this study, SEM is applied to reveal the links among destination image, relationship quality, and pro-environmental behavior, while fsQCA is utilized to investigate configurations predicting pro-environmental behavior. Responses of 285 tourists were collected and analyzed to test the proposed hypotheses. The SEM results showed that (1) destination image directly and positively affected relationship quality (including satisfaction and destination trust); (2) relationship quality was found to positively and directly influence private and public pro-environmental behaviors; (3) relationship quality did mediate the influence of destination image on private pro-environmental behavior partially, while it played a full mediating role in the effect of destination image on public pro-environmental behavior. The findings from fsQCA indicated that (1) three sufficient configurations consistently lead to a high level of private pro-environmental behavior: (a) high destination image and satisfaction, (b) high destination image and trust, (c) high relationship quality; (2) there was only one sufficient causal configuration for a high level of public pro-environmental behavior: high relationship quality. The results provide tenable evidence that relationship quality can be a vital factor enhancing the sub-dimensions of pro-environmental behavior. The integration of these two methods helps to open the black box of tourist pro-environmental behavior in rural tourism contexts in a more systematic and holistic way.

Although cultivating tourist pro-environmental behavioral intentions (TPEBI) has been emphasized, the effect of destination unique fascination on TPEBI is unknown. Applying the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the cognition-affect-behavior (CAB) model, this research develops an integrated theoretical framework to predict TPEBI. The results suggested that: (1) attitudes toward the behavior, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, destination unique fascination and tourist delight directly influence TPEBI; (2) tourist delight positively meditates the links between destination unique fascination and TPEBI; (3) the integrated model had better explanation power than either TPB or CAB models; and (4) a cross-validation method of rural and wetland cases demonstrated support for the results. This study enriches the extant studies of pro-environmental behavioral intentions by introducing an integrated conceptual model coupled with the cross-validation approach. Aside from the impact of TPB constructs, the research offers a reference for practitioners to promote TPEBI through the enhancement of destination unique fascination and tourist delight.

Tourists’ pro-environmental behaviors are critical to the conservation of cultural landscape heritage and for the sustainability of heritage tourism. Applying the theories of planned behavior (TPB) and self-congruity, this research explained the formation of tourists’ pro-environmental behavioral intentions (TPEBI). A total of 342 effective responses were gathered at a heritage destination, while another set of data was collected from a historic cultural destination for cross-validation (n = 345). The findings indicated that: (1) there are direct and positive associations between TPEBI and attitudes toward the behavior, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, self-congruity, and functional congruity; (2) functional congruity mediates the association between self-congruity and TPEBI; (3) the “congruity-TPB” framework has greater predictive capacity in comparison to the single model; (4) a cross-validation approach found consistent results by using a historic cultural district as another case. Taking both rational and value-expressive factors into consideration, the current study expands the applicability of the self-congruity theory in TPEBI research. Findings produce some new insights into sustainable destination management.

Improper waste disposal of tourists has detrimental impacts on the environment, economy, and people in rural destinations. Separating at the source is an effective means to mitigate these adverse impacts on rural destinations. Hence, identifying factors influencing tourists’ waste sorting intentions in rural destinations is critical to the sustainability of rural tourism and rural land. However, few studies focus on tourists’ waste sorting intentions. Drawing on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and social capital, this research examined the determinants of tourists’ waste sorting intentions in rural destinations. A total of 395 valid questionnaires were collected from a rural destination in Huzhou, China. The results indicated that: (1) all TPB variables, i.e., attitude toward the behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, positively and directly affect tourists’ waste sorting intentions; (2) interpersonal trust directly and positively influences tourists’ waste sorting intentions; (3) subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, interpersonal trust, and emotional bonding indirectly influence tourists’ waste sorting intentions through the mediation of attitude toward the behavior; (4) emotional bonding does not directly affect tourists’ waste sorting intentions, but the link is established through the mediation of attitude toward the behavior. This research expands the body of knowledge by integrating individuals’ psychological elements with their social contexts. The findings offer some theoretical and managerial implications for understanding how tourists’ social contexts facilitate tourists’ waste sorting intentions.