How eco-service quality affects tourist engagement behaviour in ecotourism: eco-consciousness and eco activity-based learning and S-O-R Theory

ABSTRACT

This study aims to examine the growing role of eco-consciousness and eco-activity-based learning in the eco-service quality model and their effect on tourist engagement behaviour in ecotourism destinations. Based on the regression and FsQCA analysis on online travel reviews, the result shows a significant impact of eco-service quality on tourist satisfaction, further leading to their engagement behaviour in revisit, recommendation, and learning engagement. Interestingly, the result reveals that tourists’ eco-consciousness significantly stimulates their revisit engagement in ecotourism destinations. Furthermore, eco-activity-based learning also significantly moderates the relationship between the eco-tangible dimension (physical facilities provided in the ecolodges or hotels that are safe and sound for the environment) and tourists’ satisfaction. Theoretically, this study adds value to ecotourism literature by extending tourist engagement from psychological (satisfaction) to behavioural engagement (revisit, recommendation, learning engagement). Furthermore, using the S-O-R theory, this study highlights the stimuli of tourist satisfaction and subsequent behavioural responses through tourist engagement behaviour in the ecotourism context.

KEYWORDS:

• Tourist engagement
• ecotourism
• eco-service quality
• online reviews
• S-O-R
• FsQCA

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Indrani Paul

Indrani Paul is a doctoral student at International Management Institute, Kolkata, India. Her research interest includes the area of consumer engagement, ecotourism, consumer psychology. She has published article in Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management.

Gobinda Roy

Gobinda Roy is an Assistant Professor (Marketing) in International Management Institute in Kolkata. Dr. Roy has earned his Ph.D. from Vinod Gupta School of Management, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur. He has over 20 years of experience in Industry and Academia. He has published articles in many international journals such as, International Journal of Hospitality Management, Tourism Recreation Research, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Journal of Marketing communication. His current research interest includes online/internet marketing, tourism marketing, consumer behaviour, online retails.