Connecting with nature, overcoming climate anxiety: Exploring motivations for pro-environment behavior in the ecolodge industry in Vietnam through perceived green benefits

Abstract

Climate change is becoming a global concern due to the negative consequences it brings to the environment and human mental health. Nowadays, human anxiety about climate change is increasing. In the context of sustainable tourism being increasingly interested by many people, this study investigated the impact of climate change anxiety, connectedness to nature, environmental knowledge in promoting Pro-environment behaviors through perceived green benefits of consumers in the ecolodge sector in Vietnam. Based on the norm activation theory and PLS-SEM model, the study analyzed data from 483 tourists. The research results showed that climate change anxiety, connectedness to nature, environmental knowledge not only directly affect Pro-environment behavior but also indirectly promote it through perceived green benefits. The mediating role of perceived green benefits helps transform climate change anxiety into a driving force for environmentally friendly behavior. The findings of the study show that when tourists are aware of green benefits, they tend to act in an environmentally friendly manner. At the same time, our study also provides practical implications for ecolodge managers. The findings of the study emphasize the positive relationship between climate change anxiety, connectedness to nature, environmental knowledge and other mediating factors, so managers need to focus on exploiting this relationship to build effective communication strategies and create green experiences to attract environmentally conscious customers, thereby creating a competitive advantage in the ecolodge and sustainable tourism sector