Emerging bicycle tourism and the theory of planned behavior

ABSTRACT

In this study, we investigated the process of travelers’ decision formation for bicycle touring as a form of sustainable tourism activity. We extended the theory of planned behavior (TPB), using personal norm and past behavior as predictors and the attractiveness of unsustainable alternatives as a moderator. Results of the modeling comparison showed that our extended TPB model was superior to the original TPB in predicting intention. Our results from the structural analysis revealed that the hypothesized paths linking attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, personal norm, and intention were supported; and personal norm significantly mediated the impact of subjective norm on intention. Moreover, our proposition that bicycle travelers’ decision-making process would differ based on their level of the attractiveness of unsustainable alternatives was generally supported. Overall, our results help us clearly understand the role of volitional and non-volitional processes, personal norm, past behavior, and the attractiveness of unsustainable alternatives in explaining the intention formation of bike traveling.

兴起的自行车旅游和计划行为理论

在该研究中，我们调查了自行车旅行的旅行者的决定形成，作为一种可持续旅游活动。

我们延续了计划行为理论（TPB）,使用个人规范和过往的行为作为预测，用非可持续性的替代品吸引力作为调节因子。模型对比的结果显示我们延伸的TPB模型和原先的TPB模型相比在预测目的上是更有优势的。我们的从结构分析法出来的结论揭示假设路径关联态度，主观规范，感知到的行为控制，个人规范和意图都是被支持的；并且个人规范非常重要地调解了主观规范对意图的影响。另外，我们的主张，就是自行车旅行者的决定过程根据他们非可持续性替换品吸引力的水平来变化，是基本成立的。总体来说，我们的结果帮助我们清楚了解意志和非意志过程的职责，个人规范，过往行为和非可持续性替换品德吸引力来解释自行车旅行的意图形成。

KEYWORDS:

• Bike traveling
• theory of planned behavior
• personal norm
• behavioral intention

关键词:

• 自行车旅行
• 计划行为理论
• 个人规范；行为意图

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Dong-A University research fund.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Dong-A University research fund.

Notes on contributors

Heesup Han

Heesup Han is a professor in the College of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Sejong University, Korea. His research interests include cultural tourism, heritage tourism, airline, medical tourism, green marketing. His papers have been selected as the most downloaded and read articles in many top-tier hospitality and tourism journals.

Bo Meng

Bo Meng is a lecturer in the Department of Tourism Management at Shanxi University, China. His research interests include bicycle tourism, sustainable tourism, destination marketing, and tourism development. Dr Meng has published in various professional journals in the field of hospitality and tourism.

Wansoo Kim

Wansoo Kim is an associate professor in the Department of International Tourism at Dong-A University, Korea. His research interests include sustainable tourism, relationship marketing, and workplace fun. His papers have been published in various top-tier hospitality and tourism journals.