Exploring the Influence of Ecotourism Attitudes and Involvement on Behavioral Intentions

Abstract

This study explores the relationships among eco-tourists’ attitudes, involvement, and behavioral intentions. Based on a review of relevant literature, two conceptual models were developed to examine the role of involvement: Model A investigates involvement as a mediating variable, while Model B examines it as a moderating variable. A structured questionnaire was administered, yielding 271 valid responses. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test the hypothesized relationships. The results of Model A show that attitudes significantly influence both involvement and behavioral intentions, but involvement does not significantly affect behavioral intentions, indicating no mediating effect. In contrast, Model B reveals a significant interaction effect between attitude and involvement on behavioral intention, suggesting that involvement plays a moderating role. The overall model fit indices for both models meet recommended thresholds, supporting the robustness of the proposed models. These findings provide empirical support for the importance of tourist involvement in strengthening the relationship between ecotourism attitudes and behavioral intentions. Practical implications are discussed for ecotourism planners, marketers, and policymakers aiming to promote environmentally responsible travel behaviors through deeper engagement strategies.