National culture as a driver of pro-environmental attitudes and behavioural intentions in tourism

Abstract

Voluntary changes in consumer behaviour hold significant potential to mitigate the growing environmental repercussions of tourism. Such behavioural changes can occur due to positive behavioural intentions that are in turn underpinned by pro-environmental consumer attitudes. To reinforce voluntary behavioural changes in tourism, it is paramount to understand the major drivers of pro-environmental consumer attitudes. Although national culture can influence pro-environmental attitudes of tourists, its role has been under-researched, especially in the context of emerging tourist markets. This study utilised the environment-orientated dimensions, or value orientations, of major cultural frameworks (Hofstede; Schwartz; Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner) to explore the effect of national culture on pro-environmental attitudes and behavioural intentions in a large-scale quantitative survey of Polish tourists. Correlation between the cultural background of tourists and their pro-environmental attitudes was established, thus highlighting the need for national culture to become an integral element of future scientific, policy-making, and managerial discourse on the key drivers of more sustainable consumer behaviour in tourism.

Keywords:

• National culture
• consumer attitudes
• pro-environmental behaviour
• sustainable tourism
• Poland

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Viachaslau Filimonau

Viachaslau Filimonau is Principal Lecturer in Hospitality Management in Faculty of Management at Bournemouth University. His research interests include sustainable mobilities, water, and carbon footprint management in tourism and hospitality, and environmental management in hospitality enterprises.

Jorge Matute

Jorge Matute is Associate Professor in Marketing at IQS School of Management. His primary research interests are consumer behaviour, e-marketing, and corporate social responsibility.

Mirosław Mika

Mirosław Mika is Associate Professor in the Department of Tourism and Health Resort Management within the Institute of Geography and Spatial Management at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. His research interests are shaped around local/regional aspects of tourism development, including management of tourist destinations, tourism planning, and tourism impacts.

Robert Faracik

Robert Faracik is Assistant Professor in the Department of Tourism and Health Resort Management within the Institute of Geography and Spatial Management at Jagiellonian University in Krakow. His primary research interests include socio-economic geography and regional tourism development.