The Nexus between Environmental Concern, Self Image, and Eco-Friendly Tourism Products Purchase Intention: Extended in Theory of Planned Behavior

Resumo

Purpose – This study aims to evaluate the effect of determinants in the Theory of Planned Behavior followed by Eco-friendly attitude (ATT), Subjective norms (SN), Perceived behavioral control (PBC), and also extended by Environmental concern (EC), and Self-image (SI) to Eco-friendly tourism product purchase intention (ETPI) for discovering the insightful perspective.  

Design/methodology/approach - To obtain the required data, the authors conducted a survey of 400 Generation Y people who are living in urban areas that are accessible to purchase eco-friendly tourism products. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation model are implemented to test research hypotheses.     

Findings – Surprisingly, according to the results, the eco-friendly attitude (ATT) and perceived behavioral control (PBC) had no significant effect on tourism eco-friendly product purchase intention (EPI). Meanwhile, environmental concern (EN) had the most significant effect on eco-friendly tourism product purchase intention (ETPI). In addition, subjective norm (SN) also had a considerable effect on eco-friendly tourism product purchase intention (ETPI).    

Practical implications – The result of the study guides green marketing practitioners and policymakers to attract the intention to purchase eco-friendly tourism products by presenting external factors such as social and environmental factors rather than internal individual factors. The results of the study can be applied to design marketing strategies and campaigns for convincing people to purchase eco-friendly tourism products in Thailand.   

Originality/value – The paper discovers the contradictory result about the effect between attitude and behavioral intention. From previous literature reviews, the effect between attitude and behavioral intention on eco-friendly products normally is significant which is dissimilar to this paper. With insightful individual investigation, people are personally struggling and skeptical about purchasing eco-friendly tourism products.