Examining the Antecedents of Environmentally Responsible Behaviour: Relationships among Service Quality, Place Attachment and Environmentally Responsible Behaviour

Abstract

This study investigates the antecedents of environmentally responsible behaviour by creating a theoretical model of relationships between service quality, place attachment and environmentally responsible behaviour. A questionnaire survey was conducted among tourists who visited six famous tourist attractions in Shaanxi, China. The results of the research demonstrate that service quality exerts influence on environmentally responsible behaviour and place attachment in a positive manner. Additionally, the findings suggest that place attachment affects environmentally responsible behaviour in a direct and positive manner. Moreover, it is also found that service quality strengthens its effect on environmentally responsible behaviour through place attachment, indicating the mediating role of place attachment in the link between service quality and environmentally responsible behaviour. The current research contributes to tourism literature in that it helps to better understand the tourists’ environmentally responsible behaviour and provides management with evidence of the significance for improving the service quality at tourist attractions.