Tourists’ risk perceptions and pro-environmental behaviour during the pandemic: the roles of environmental concern and environmental ethics reflection

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic has served as a stark reminder to humanity of the urgent need to address environmental concerns. Given the intricate links between tourism and ecological issues, whether perceived risks during the pandemic can foster pro-environmental behaviour through increased concern and reflection about environmental challenges. Drawing on social cognitive theory, this study delves into the mechanisms that shape how visitors’ risk perceptions influence their pro-environmental actions in the context of the pandemic. From an online survey, 731 valid responses were accrued. The findings reveal that tourists’ risk perceptions have a significant positive influence on environmental concern and pro-environmental behaviour, environmental concern plays a partially mediating role in the relationship between tourists’ risk perceptions and pro-environmental behaviour. And environmental ethics reflection plays a positive moderating role in that mediated relationship. Based on these findings, management implications are proposed to promote pro-environmental behaviour among tourists, and the limitations of this study and future research directions are highlighted.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• tourists’ risk perceptions
• environmental concern
• environmental ethics reflection
• pro-environmental behaviour

Data availability statement

Data connected to this research are available from the corresponding author upon request.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Major Program of National Fund of Philosophy and Social Science of China: [grant No 19BJL036].