International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Research

19 pages, 1615 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Role of Graphic Design Semiotics in Environmental Awareness Campaigns

by Marc Vallverdu-Gordi and Estela Marine-Roig

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4299; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054299 - 28 Feb 2023

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 8193

This work aims to explore the usefulness of graphic design in awareness campaigns promoting sustainable tourist destinations and to identify their contribution to the success of the campaigns in terms of their generating increased protection of the natural and socioeconomic resources of the [...] Read more.

This work aims to explore the usefulness of graphic design in awareness campaigns promoting sustainable tourist destinations and to identify their contribution to the success of the campaigns in terms of their generating increased protection of the natural and socioeconomic resources of the destination. The study applies semiotics to the field of social marketing to build a conceptual model that relates the graphic design of a campaign to public environmental awareness, and to the destination’s preservation. In order to test the conceptual model, the campaign “Que la montagne est belle!” of the “Parc Naturel Régional des Pyrénées catalanes” in the French Pyrenees is taken as a case study for analysis, as it aims to preserve the park’s natural environment and pastoral activities. The data are analysed using the partial least squares structural equation modelling technique (PLS-SEM), and the results are studied for different segments of the sample. The findings show that the graphic design semiotics influence public environmental awareness and destination preservation by generating in the audience a sensitive, emotional, and cognitive reaction towards the campaign. This innovative framework on graphic design can be adapted to other branding or marketing campaigns to improve destination images. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tourism Consumer Behavior and Environmental Sustainability)

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17 pages, 1166 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Understanding the Environmentally Sustainable Behavior of Chinese University Students as Tourists: An Integrative Framework

by Zhihui Wang, Liangzhen Nie, Eila Jeronen, Lihua Xu and Meiai Chen

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 3317; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043317 - 14 Feb 2023

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 5161

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to develop a theoretical framework by integrating the value-belief-norm (VBN) theory with environmental awareness in measuring Chinese university students’ environmentally sustainable behavior toward tourism destinations. University students tend to engage in sustainability efforts since their values and [...] Read more.

The purpose of this study is to develop a theoretical framework by integrating the value-belief-norm (VBN) theory with environmental awareness in measuring Chinese university students’ environmentally sustainable behavior toward tourism destinations. University students tend to engage in sustainability efforts since their values and beliefs are still being formed. The participants were 301 university students from a university in eastern China. The empirical findings demonstrate that: (1) environmental awareness has positive influences on biospheric value, altruistic value and egoistic value; (2) biospheric value positively predicts the new ecological paradigm (NEP), whereas altruistic and egoistic values do not; (3) the NEP, awareness of consequence and personal norms play an important mediating role. Results indicate that extended VBN can explain students’ environmentally sustainable behavior. This research supports the growth of sustainable tourism and has a number of practical implications for universities and the relevant environmental departments to promote university students’ involvement in sustainable tourism. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tourism Consumer Behavior and Environmental Sustainability)

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17 pages, 910 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Study on the Structural Relationships between COVID-19 Coping Strategies, Positive Expectations, and the Behavioral Intentions of Various Tourism-Related Behaviors

by Mengen Zhang and HakJun Song

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(2), 1424; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20021424 - 12 Jan 2023

Viewed by 1995

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of coping strategies, attitudes, and positive anticipated emotions on the positive expectations and behavioral intentions of Korean tourists during the COVID-19 pandemic. An integrated model was proposed and tested, and the results indicate [...] Read more.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of coping strategies, attitudes, and positive anticipated emotions on the positive expectations and behavioral intentions of Korean tourists during the COVID-19 pandemic. An integrated model was proposed and tested, and the results indicate that effective coping strategies, attitudes, and positive anticipated emotions have a positive effect on the positive expectations of tourism during the pandemic, which in turn positively influences behavioral intentions. Practical suggestions were also provided based on the findings. This research has implications for understanding the ways in which individuals cope with and adapt to travel during times of crisis, and for identifying strategies that may facilitate positive expectations and behavioral intentions in the tourism industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tourism Consumer Behavior and Environmental Sustainability)

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23 pages, 2095 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Applying a Combination of SEM and fsQCA to Predict Tourist Resource-Saving Behavioral Intentions in Rural Tourism: An Extension of the Theory of Planned Behavior

by Wei Zheng, Hongliang Qiu and Alastair M. Morrison

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(2), 1349; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20021349 - 11 Jan 2023

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4584

Abstract

How to save resources and protect the environment at destinations is one of the hot issues in tourism. One effective solution is to cultivate tourist resource-saving behavioral intentions (TRSBI). Prior studies mainly use Structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore its antecedents, whereas other [...] Read more.

How to save resources and protect the environment at destinations is one of the hot issues in tourism. One effective solution is to cultivate tourist resource-saving behavioral intentions (TRSBI). Prior studies mainly use Structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore its antecedents, whereas other potential methods (i.e., fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis, fsQCA for short) have been less adopted. This study combines SEM and fsQCA to examine TRSBI in a rural tourism context. Specifically, SEM is executed to investigate how environmental concern influences TRSBI based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), while fsQCA is applied to uncover the multiple configurations in the TRSBI formation. The findings from SEM indicated that (1) environmental concern positively and directly influenced TRSBI; (2) TPB constructs (i.e., attitudes toward the behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control) positively and separately mediated the associations of environmental concern with TRSBI. The fsQCA outcomes showed that three configurations result in a high level of TRSBI: (1) high attitudes toward the behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, (2) high attitudes toward the behavior, subjective norms, and environmental concern, and (3) high attitudes toward the behavior, perceived behavioral control, and environmental concern. The combined approaches offer a systematic and holistic solution to explore TRSBI in rural tourism. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tourism Consumer Behavior and Environmental Sustainability)

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11 pages, 1600 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Demographics and Trends for Inbound Medical Tourism in Germany for Orthopedic Patients before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic

by Tizian Heinz, Annette Eidmann, Axel Jakuscheit, Tino Laux, Maximilian Rudert and Ioannis Stratos

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(2), 1209; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20021209 - 10 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2866

Abstract

Medical tourism is a rapidly growing sector of economic growth and diversification. However, data on the demographics and characteristics of the traveling patients are sparse. In this study, we analyzed the common demographic properties and characteristics of the inbound medical tourists seeking orthopedic [...] Read more.

Medical tourism is a rapidly growing sector of economic growth and diversification. However, data on the demographics and characteristics of the traveling patients are sparse. In this study, we analyzed the common demographic properties and characteristics of the inbound medical tourists seeking orthopedic medical care in Germany for the years 2010 to 2019 compared to a domestic group. At the same time, we examined how the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak of 2020 changed the field of medical tourism in Germany. Calculations were performed using administrative hospital data provided by the Federal Statistical Department of Germany. Data were analyzed from the years 2010 to 2020. A total of six elective orthopedic surgery codes (bone biopsy, knee arthroplasty, foot surgery, osteotomy, hardware removal, and arthrodesis) were identified as key service indicators for medical tourism and further analyzed. Factors including residence, sex, year, and type of elective surgery were modeled using linear regression analysis. Age and sex distributions were compared between patients living inside Germany (DE) or outside Germany (non-DE). Between 2010 and 2020, 6,261,801 orthopedic procedures were coded for the DE group and 27,420 key procedures were identified for the non-DE group. Medical tourists were predominantly male and significantly younger than the domestic population. The linear regression analysis of the OPS codes over the past years showed a significantly different slope between the DE and non-DE groups only for the OPS code “hardware removal”. With the COVID-19 pandemic, an overall decline in performed orthopedic procedures was observed for the non-DE and the DE group. A significant reduction below the 95% prediction bands for the year 2020 could be shown for hardware removal and foot surgery (for DE), and for hardware removal, knee arthroplasty, foot surgery, and osteotomy (for non-DE). This study is the first to quantify inbound medical tourism in elective orthopedic surgery in Germany. The COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected many—but not all—areas of orthopedic surgery. It has to be seen how this negative trend will develop in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tourism Consumer Behavior and Environmental Sustainability)

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21 pages, 2371 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Nexus between Green Perceived Quality, Green Satisfaction, Green Trust, and Customers’ Green Behavioral Intentions in Eco-Friendly Hotels: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

by Magdy El-Sayed Hashish, Ahmed Hassan Abdou, Shaimaa Abo Khangar Mohamed, Ahmed Saleh Abo Elenain and Wagih Salama

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 16195; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192316195 - 3 Dec 2022

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 6093

Abstract

With the growing awareness of the climate change effects, hotel customers progressively intend to favor green products and services that minimize adverse environmental effects. The key factors affecting customers’ green behavioral intentions in the hospitality industry context are still under research. Accordingly, this [...] Read more.

With the growing awareness of the climate change effects, hotel customers progressively intend to favor green products and services that minimize adverse environmental effects. The key factors affecting customers’ green behavioral intentions in the hospitality industry context are still under research. Accordingly, this study primarily aims at empirically investigating the nexus between green perceived quality (GPQ), green satisfaction (GS), green trust (GT), and customers’ green behavioral intentions (CGBIs) in a sample of five-star eco-friendly hotels in Egypt. More specifically, the study first endeavors to investigate the direct impact of GPQ on GS, GT, and CGBIs besides exploring the direct impact of GS and GT on CGBIs in addition to examining the potential effect of GS and GT as mediators in the nexus between GPQ and CGBIs. To achieve the study’s aim and associated objectives, a self-administrated questionnaire was developed and distributed to a convenience sample of local guests staying at certified five-green star hotels. A total of 500 questionnaires were distributed, and only 304 valid forms, representing 60.8%, were used in the statistical analysis. Seven hypotheses, reflecting the direct and indirect relationships between study constructs, were examined by using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with bootstrapping technique. The study findings revealed that GS, GT as well as CGBIs are significantly positively affected by GPQ, respectively. Furthermore, GT and GS have a significant positive effect on CGBIs. Moreover, GT as well as GS partially mediate the nexus between GPQ and CGBIs. From the previous findings, it could be concluded that the increase in investment in enhancing GPQ significantly contributes to the improvement in GS, GT, and CGBIs. Additionally, the higher the GT, GPQ, and GS, the greater the revisit intention to green hotels, positive green word-of-mouth (GWoM), and intention to pay a premium for staying in environmentally friendly hotels. As a result, for enhancing CGBIs and sustaining a customer-hotel long-term relationship, hotel operators should make efforts towards maintaining GT, improving GPQ, and increasing customers’ GS as key predictors of CGBIs in the hotel industry context. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tourism Consumer Behavior and Environmental Sustainability)

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21 pages, 741 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Hybrid FMCDM Approach for the Evaluation and Selection of Homestays

by Tsung-Yu Chou

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(14), 8688; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148688 - 17 Jul 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2256

Abstract

Due to the beautiful rural scenery, rural tourism has gradually become a popular trend as affected by urbanization in Taiwan. The purpose of this study is to develop an objective and systematic evaluation model for homestay selection in Taiwan. Specifically, this study combines [...] Read more.

Due to the beautiful rural scenery, rural tourism has gradually become a popular trend as affected by urbanization in Taiwan. The purpose of this study is to develop an objective and systematic evaluation model for homestay selection in Taiwan. Specifically, this study combines three fuzzy multiple-criteria decision-making (FMCDM) methods of means-end chain (MEC), fuzzy decision making and trial evaluation laboratory (FDEMATEL), and fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP). First, we use MEC to obtain important factors for homestay travelers to choose homestays, then we extract key influencing factors by FDEMATEL method, and finally, we rank these factors in importance by FAHP to provide travelers and managers with a reference. In addition, this study combines fuzzy theory to avoid the bias caused by human subjective judgment, so as to solve the problem of objectivity in the selection and evaluation model of homestay criteria. According to the results of our case studies, a clean environment, professional service staff, safe facilities and beautiful buildings are the key factors for consumers to choose homestays. The results of this study can provide a reference for homestay managers to understand the priorities of travelers and optimize customer service in Taiwan. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tourism Consumer Behavior and Environmental Sustainability)

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25 pages, 1235 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Low-Carbon Travel Motivation and Constraint: Scales Development and Validation

by You-Yu Dai, An-Jin Shie, Jin-Hua Chu and Yen-Chun Jim Wu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5123; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095123 - 22 Apr 2022

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4449

Abstract

Low-carbon travel has emerged as a topic of interest in tourism and academia. Studies have offered reasons tourists may engage in low-carbon travel; however, these explanations are scattered throughout the literature and have yet to be integrated into low-carbon travel motivation and constraint [...] Read more.

Low-carbon travel has emerged as a topic of interest in tourism and academia. Studies have offered reasons tourists may engage in low-carbon travel; however, these explanations are scattered throughout the literature and have yet to be integrated into low-carbon travel motivation and constraint constructs. This study develops a low-carbon travel motivation scale (LCTMS) and a low-carbon travel constraint scale (LCTCS). It performs reliability and validity testing to measure the low-carbon travel motives and obstacles. Items were collected primarily by literature review, and, then, by surveys of 382 tourists from low-carbon travel destinations and 390 from non-low-carbon travel destinations. Through a rigorous scale development process, this study identifies six dimensions of the LCTMS (environmental protection, experience-seeking, escape or social connection, industry pleas and measures for environmental protection, low-carbon products, and green transportation) and four dimensions of the LCTCS (intrapersonal constraints, interpersonal constraints, structural constraints, and the not a travel option). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tourism Consumer Behavior and Environmental Sustainability)

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