Can Environmental Docents Influence Visitors’ Environmentally Responsible Behavior? The Changes in Relationships Between Tourists’ Environmental Concern and Environmentally Responsible Behavior in a Coastal Protected Area: Fid-Bau Portal

Can Environmental Docents Influence Visitors’ Environmentally Responsible Behavior? The Changes in Relationships Between Tourists’ Environmental Concern and Environmentally Responsible Behavior in a Coastal Protected Area

Lin, Yi Hsien / Ku, Pi-Shen / Feng, Huei-Tung

Abstract

Interpretation services in protected areas may improve tourists’ knowledge, positive perceptions, and attitudes toward the destination, which in turn may promote environmentally responsible behavior. However, the contribution of interpretation services to the components of environmental concern (EC), and its relationship with different environmentally responsible behavior (ERB) components remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the relationships between the different components of ECs and ERBs of visitors to a coastal protected area in Taiwan. A total of 371 questionnaires were collected using a systematic sampling method before and after the interpretation services. The analytical findings indicated that visitors’ post-interpretation ECs and ERBs were higher than pre-interpretation values. The final structural model identified that biospheric and egoistic concerns can both significantly and positively affect whereas altruistic concerns cannot influence general and site-specific ERBs. Finally, the theoretical and managerial implications are discussed, providing valuable contributions for coastal protected area management and development.