Will tourists’ pro-environmental behavior influence their well-being? An examination from the perspective of warm glow theory

AbstractThe positive outcomes of tourists’ pro-environmental behavior (PEB) to sustainable destination development are widely acknowledged, but little is known about the outcome of such behavior on tourists themselves. Drawing on the warm glow theory, this article investigates the unique role of tourists’ PEB in enhancing their own well-being. Through two studies, it was found that tourists who engaged in PEB had greater well-being than those who didn’t (Study 1, via survey), and that tourists’ perceived outcome efficacy and social worth played sequential mediating effects in this process (Study 2, through survey and experiment in two phases of data collection). After engaging in PEB, tourists believe that their PEB is effective in protecting the destination environment, which further strengthens their feelings of social worth and boosts their well-being. The findings highlight the psychological benefit beyond the environmental benefit of tourists’ PEB. Results also show that tourists are compatible with destinations when it comes to environmental protection, which sheds light on sustainable destination development and management efforts.Keywords: Pro-environmental behaviortourists’ well-beingwarm glow theoryperceived outcome efficacysocial worth Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationFunding1. Guanghua Talent Project of Southwestern University of Finance and Economics (SWUFE2023LXY)2. Center for Bay of Bengal Studies, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics [No.MJLW23003]3. Tianjin Graduate Research and Innovation Project (to Ailing WU) (No. 2022BKY041).Notes on contributorsXingyang LvDr. Xingyang Lv is a professor in School of Business Administration, Faculty of Business Administration, at Southwestern University of Finance and Economics (China). Dr. Lv’s research interest focuses on services management, marketing and consumer behavior.Kewei ShiKewei Shi is a postgraduate student in School of Business Administration, Faculty of Business Administration, at Southwestern University of Finance and Economics (China). Shi’s research interest focuses on services management, marketing and consumer behavior.Shuangyu XuShuangyu Xu is an Assistant Professor in School of Natural Resources at the University of Missouri. Her research is primarily focused on developing and promoting sustainable tourism (with an emphasis in wine tourism, nature-based tourism, heritage tourism) for communities using a combined stakeholder theory and GIS approach.Ailing WuAiling Wu is a Ph.D. candidate in College of Tourism and Service Management, Nankai University (China). Ailing Wu’s research interest focuses on tourist well-being, marketing and consumer behavior.