Tourists' perceptions of responsibility: an application of norm-activation theory

ABSTRACT

Drawing on norm-activation theory, this study explores the link between tourists' perceptions of the negative impacts of tourism and their perceived responsibility. A proposed theoretical framework was examined and verified through exploratory and confirmatory research processes. Self-administered questionnaires were collected at two UNESCO World Natural Heritage Sites in China. The findings of this research suggest that tourists' perceptions of the negative impacts of tourism positively affect their ascription of responsibility, which positively influences tourists' perceptions of responsibility. Nevertheless, the accessibility of information about tourism impacts is far from enough to foster in tourists a sense of responsibility, which is important for the promotion of responsible behaviours. Several practical implications are provided to address tourists' sense of responsibility, including enhancing tourists' awareness of negative tourism impacts, increasing the availability and accessibility of information about tourism impacts, and recommending behaviours for tourists to make a positive difference to destinations.

游客对责任的认知：规范激活理论的应用

摘要：研究利用规范激活理论探索游客对旅游负面影响和责任感认知间的联系，检验并证实了理论框架。数据以自填问卷的方式收集于中国2处世界自然遗产。结果表明游客认知的旅游负面影响积极作用于对责任认知有正面影响的责任归属，但旅游影响的信息可及性远不够培养对提倡责任行为尤为重要的游客责任感。研究对此提出具体建议，包括强化游客对旅游负面影响的意识，增加旅游影响信息的有效性和可及性，并向游客推荐行为以积极改变目的地。

KEYWORDS:

• Perception of responsibility
• norm activation theory
• tourism impacts
• responsible tourism
• responsible behaviour

关键字:

• 责任认知
• 规范激活理论
• 旅游影响
• 负责任旅游
• 负责任行为

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on earlier drafts of this paper, and Professor James Higham for his helpful suggestions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The authors would like to express their gratitude for the National Science Foundation of China for supporting the research (project serial number: 41471122). The authors also thank China Scholarship Council for the funding.

Notes on contributors

Jun Gao

Jun Gao is a PhD candidate at Waikato Management School, The University of Waikato, New Zealand, with research interests in tourism impacts, border tourism and sustainable tourism.

Zhuowei (Joy) Huang

Zhuowei (Joy) Huang, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, and UIUC-SYSU (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Sun Yat-sen University) International Joint Lab for National Park Research (Zhangjiajie), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA. Her research interests include marketing and branding in tourism and hospitality industry.

Chaozhi Zhang

Chaozhi Zhang, PhD, is a professor in the School of Tourism Management, and UIUC-SYSU (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Sun Yat-sen University) International Joint Lab for National Park Research (Zhangjiajie) at Sun Yat-sen University, China. His research interest is in heritage tourism, sustainable tourism and destination development.