Pro-environmental Behaviour of Tourists in Uzbekistan: Application of Protection Motivation Theory

Pro-environmental Behaviour of Tourists in Uzbekistan:

Application of Protection Motivation Theory
By Ermekbaeva Indira

Submitted to

The Graduate School of Dong-A University
In a Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree
of Master of Science in Tourism&Hospitality Management
March 2023

Abstract

Pro-environmental Behaviour of Tourists in Uzbekistan:
Application of Protection Motivation Theory
By Ermekbaeva Indira
Dept. of Tourism Management
Graduate School, Dong-A University
Busan, Korea
The patterns of human behaviour profoundly influence the quality of the environment. Many environmental issues, including global warming, urban air pollution, water scarcity, environmental noise, and biodiversity loss, represent a danger to environmental sustainability. Several of these issues are based in human behaviour (Shafiei & Maleksaeidi, 2020; May & Nastiti, 2022), and may thus be addressed by modifying the relevant behaviour to lessen its environmental effect. Adjustments in human behaviour are thought to be required since advances in technological efficiency from, for example, energy-efficient appliances, housing insulation, and water-saving devices are being surpassed by consumption increases (Di Martino et al., 2019). Moreover, physical and technological advancements necessitate behavioural changes as people must accept and comprehend them, purchase them, and utilize them correctly. The human behaviour and its impact on the environment have become one of the recent prevalent areas in contemporary research world and several studies have been done. It is known that individuals who adopt pro-environmental behaviour patterns can make a major contribution to long-term environmental sustainability.
This study investigates pro-environmental behaviour of humans, particularly, tourists and its effect on the environment, by applying Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) to understand the effect of Pro-environmental behaviour. According to various academic researches, the PMT employs a broad range of predictors, such as the advantages and disadvantages of both present behaviour and future adaptive behaviour, to clarify the reasons individuals make pro-environmental decisions. To our knowledge, no substantial empirical studies of the PMT's pro-environmental behaviour domain among tourists in developing countries have yet been published.
The majority of studies that have used the PMT to investigate tourists' pro-environmental behavior have been conducted in developed countries (Liu&Bai, 2016; Lee&Jan, 2018; Cai&Lu, 2019). More research is needed in developing countries, where environmental problems are frequently more severe, and the tourism industry may have a different impact on the environment.
Contextual factors significantly influence tourists' pro-environmental behaviour at the location, although the application of the Protective Motivation Theory is still not well studied. The present research investigates how applying a PMT component alters travellers’ pro-environmental behaviour in a daily and tourism setting. Tourists were requested to evaluate the PMT items and their current pro-environmental behaviour in a questionnaire-based survey. Data were then analysed using an OLS regression analysis with the sample size of 310 travelers’ responses.
Based on the results, perceived severity of environmental threat and tourists’ perceived self-efficacy in practicing pro-environmental behavior significantly influence their intention to engage in such behavior.
As significance of the current research, developing scientific knowledge on what inspire tourists to behave pro-environmentally is a significant area of concern that has practicable usages for moving on the way a sustainable future. The findings provide insight on how the tourism industry in Uzbekistan can encourage tourists to engage in pro-environmental behavior and contribute to the development of sustainable tourism. According to the study, tour operators and other tourism industry stakeholders can promote environmental awareness among tourists by emphasizing the potential negative environmental impacts of their behavior and providing them with opportunities to practice sustainable tourism. The study also recommends that Uzbek policymakers develop policies and regulations that encourage and support sustainable tourism practices.