Climate change and pro-sustainable behaviors: application of nudge theory

Abstract

This empirical study uses nudge theory to develop conceptual models to predict the pro-sustainable behaviors of visitors. Two sets of antecedents, including the destination level (i.e. destination social responsibility [DSR]) and the individual level (climate change perception), were used as configurations to stimulate the pro-sustainable behavioral intentions of visitors in terms of willingness to sacrifice, eco-behaviors, and localism. The proposed models were tested using partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to investigate the net effect of the antecedents and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to explore complex configurations leading to the pro-sustainable behavioral intentions of visitors. An interview study with experts was also conducted to develop a framework illustrating transformational drivers of actual pro-sustainable behaviors. Climate change concerns and environmentally responsible destinations appear to be significant predictors of visitors’ willingness to sacrifice, localism, and eco-behaviors. Climate change awareness, beliefs, and concerns are necessary for pro-sustainable behavioral intentions. The results highlight the importance of nudge theory and creative practices to enact pro-sustainable behavioral change. The proposed framework offers guidelines at the tactical, strategic, and structural levels to stimulate visitors’ actual behaviors toward climate change actions.

Keywords:

• Destination social responsibility
• climate change
• nudge theory
• pro-sustainable behavior
• mixed methods

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to note their appreciation of the editors and anonymous reviewers for their time and contributions to this study.

Disclosure statement

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hossein Olya

Hossein Olya, Ph.D. is a Chair Professor and Head of Marketing and Cultural & Creative Industries at the Sheffield University Management School, UK. Prof. Olya has taken an active approach to interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research to investigate complex social problems with an attempt to develop impactful and innovative conclusions. He is actively leading research projects in the areas of cultural consumptions and sustainable management. He is currently serving as associate editor of the International Journal of Consumer Studies. See more here: www.olyah.com.

Namhyun Kim

Namhyun Kim, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Hotel and Tourism Management at Dongguk University-WISE, South Korea. Her research interests include sustainable tourism, community-based tourism, tourism innovation, tourism competitiveness, and poverty alleviation in developing countries. She is working on several research projects including climate change and tourists’ pro-sustainable behavior, destination social responsibility, tourism entrepreneurship, and social innovation in tourism. She is currently serving as the editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Research (IJTHR).

Myung Ja Kim

Myung Ja Kim, Ph.D. is Kyung Hee Fellow professor in the College of Hotel & Tourism Management at Kyung Hee University in Seoul, Korea. Her research focuses on tourism, digitalization, sustainable mobility, metaverse/VR, space tourism, and combating climate crisis using data analytics and artificial intelligence analysis. Her papers have been selected as the most downloaded, read, and cited articles in top-tier tourism-related journals (e.g. Tourism Management, Journal of Travel Research). She has published over 70 articles in internationally reputed journals and has recently been awarded several research grants regarding sustainable technologies and tourism fields.