As the tourism industry grows, opportunities for tourists to participate in tourism activities have expanded, while negatively affecting the natural environment. The importance of eco-friendly tourism is emerging due to the increased importance of sus...
As the tourism industry grows, opportunities for tourists to participate in tourism activities have expanded, while negatively affecting the natural environment. The importance of eco-friendly tourism is emerging due to the increased importance of sustainability of tourist destinations and tourists' preference for eco-friendly tourism products.
In order to effectively preserve and manage the natural environment for the sustainable development of tourism destinations, eco-friendly tourism activities are essential, as well as the participation of local residents.
In particular, it is necessary to analyze the tourism behavior tendency and analysis of tourists visiting areas where environmental losses such as damage or destruction of the natural environment are feared or sensitive.
This study tried to find out what factors affect the practice of tourists' eco-friendly tourism behavior during tourism activities. Accordingly, The structural relationship between the factors affecting the intention of eco-friendly tourism behavior and the factors was analyzed for domestic tourists visiting Jeju Island. Tourists who practiced eco-friendly tourism behavior were targeted and analyzed using 249 effective samples. The main analysis results of this study are as follows. First, it was found that it was not significant in verifying the influence relationship between the variables ‘attitude’ and ‘behavior intention’ for eco-friendly tourism behavior.
Second, it was found that it was not significant in verifying the influence relationship between the variables ‘subjective norm’ and ‘behavior intention’ for eco-friendly tourism behavior.
Third, it was found to have a statistically significant positive (+) effect on the verification of the influence relationship between the variables ‘perceived behavioral control’ and ‘behavior intention’ on eco-friendly tourism behavior.
Fourth, it was found to have a statistically significant positive (+) effect on the verification of the influence relationship between the variables ‘personal norm’ and the ‘behavior intention’ on eco-friendly tourism behavior.
Fifth, the ‘natural center’ of environmental awareness was found to have a statistically significant positive (+) effect in verifying the relationship between the ‘attitude’ variables on eco-friendly tourism behavior.
Sixth, the ‘natural center’ of environmental awareness was found to have a statistically significant positive (+) effect in verifying the relationship between the ‘subjective norm’ variables on eco-friendly tourism behavior.
Seventh, the ‘natural center’ of environmental awareness was found to have a statistically significant positive (+) effect in verifying the relationship between the ‘perceived behavioral control’ variables on eco-friendly tourism behavior.
Eighth, the ‘natural center’ of environmental awareness was found to have a statistically significant positive (+) effect in verifying the relationship between the ‘personal norms’ variables on eco-friendly tourism behavior.
These results showed that tourists who value the balance of nature for the environment form a positive attitude toward eco-friendly tourism behavior, but the attitude did not affect the behavioral intention. As mentioned in previous studies, even if there is a high environmental awareness and attitude to participate in eco-friendly tourism behavior, it can be seen that it is difficult to lead to direct behavior. Therefore, it is necessary to find a way for anyone to easily participate in eco-friendly tourism behavior without time or economic restrictions while tourists are engaged in tourism activities at tourist destinations. In addition, in order to increase tourists' intention to practice eco-friendly tourism behavior, it is necessary to prepare programs to raise awareness of the preservation of the natural environment at tourist destinations, as well as ways to encourage tourists' personal norms for the natural environment. Finally, it is necessary to convert all policies of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province into eco-friendly policies. When the direction of all policies of Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, including housing, transportation, primary industry, and economy, as well as tourism policies, domestic and foreign tourists visiting Jeju Island will also recognize Jeju Island as an eco-friendly tourist destination.