The influence of climate change and environmental concerns on participation in new voluntourism by younger generations

Abstract

AbstractThis study investigates a new type of voluntourism that focuses on younger generations' environmental contribution in the context of a global climate crisis. The study describes the adoption process of new voluntourism by applying the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) framework and examining the influence of its three innovation factors (compatibility, simplicity, and relative advantage along with the perceived risk of climate change on new voluntourism adoption attitude and behavioral intention). An online survey of 432 members of two demographic cohorts, Millennials and Generation Z, was conducted in South Korea. The results of structural equation modeling indicate that the perceived risk of climate change and DOI's innovation factors significantly affected new voluntourism adoption attitude and behavioral intention. The results confirmed that the perceived risk of climate change led to the diffusion and adoption of new voluntourism by younger generations. The theoretical and practical implications of the study's results are discussed.