The theory of planned behavior as a model for understanding tourists’ responsible environmental behaviors: The moderating role of environmental interpretations

In tourism activities, tourists’ responsible environmental behaviors (REB) are the result of human’s interaction with environment. Most past studies about tourists’ REB paid attention to tourists’ individual factors while the influences of situational factors of sightseeing places on tourists’ REB were left out. Environmental interpretations are the significant component and the main situational factor of tourism environment. This research uses the theory of planned behavior; takes the Huangshan Mountain scenic spot in China as the case-study place based on 534 questionnaire survey samples of tourists; and adopts the method of structural equation model-multiple group analysis (SEM-MGA) to explore the moderating role of environmental interpretations in the sightseeing place on the relationship between tourists’ responsible environmental behavioral intentions (REBI) and REB. Results indicate that (1) tourists’ attitudes toward environmental behaviors and subjective norms positively affect their REBI; their perceived behavioral control positively affects their REBI and REB, and their REBI positively affect REB; (2) environmental interpretations in the sightseeing place positively moderate the relationship between tourists’ REBI and REB.