Does Positive Contact Between Residents and Tourists Stimulate Tourists’ Environmentally Responsible Behavior? The Role of Gratitude and Boundary Conditions

Positive interactions between residents and tourists at Mount Wuyi significantly enhance tourists' environmentally responsible behavior, primarily through the mediation of gratitude. The study found that highly agreeable tourists experienced stronger effects, with positive contact leading to greater gratitude and, consequently, more pro-environmental actions. This suggests that fostering positive resident-tourist relationships can be an effective strategy for promoting sustainable tourism practices.

Tu, H., & Ma, J. (2021). Does Positive Contact Between Residents and Tourists Stimulate Tourists’ Environmentally Responsible Behavior? The Role of Gratitude and Boundary Conditions. Journal of Travel Research, 61(8), 1774–1790. https://doi.org/10.1177/00472875211048938