Understanding Japanese Tourists’ Constraints to Pro-environmental Behavior

2023 Fiscal Year Research-status Report

• Project/Area Number: 23K12565
• Research Institution: Toyo University
• Principal Investigator: 孫 涛 東洋大学, 国際観光学部, 助教 (40962311)
• Project Period (FY): 2023-04-01 – 2026-03-31
• Keywords: Japanese toruists / enviromental / constraints

Outline of Annual Research Achievements

In year 2023, the research project “understanding Japanese tourists’ constraints to pro-environmental Behaviour (PEB)” had been administered as scheduled in the research proposal. As highlighted in the proposal, this research project aims to (1) explore tourists’ potential constraints to PEB post-COVID, (2) examine the influences of norm activation model on PEB constraints and PEB per se, and lastly (3) identify and compare the impacts of government style (perceived government support versus perceived government control) on PEB constraints and PEB per se. During the past year, my major effect was dedicated to exploring the potential PEB constraints. After confirming and consolidating relevant research in literature, an initial online survey was conducted with the assistance of a Tokyo-based research company. A total of 650 responses covering all generations (from 20s to 60s) were collected. After the exploratory factor analysis, three factors that may account for Japanese people’s PEB constraints emerged. They are “Externalized Responsibility”, “Behavioral Reluctance”, “Lack of knowledge”. Results of free-listing answers also gave rise some significant items that were not measured in the survey, including “PETB is a hassle”, “Options for pro-environmental tourism activities are limited”, “I like to luxuriate while I travel”,etc.

Current Status of Research Progress

2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.

Reason

As mentioned above, the first research was ahieved successfully.

Strategy for Future Research Activity

As the research plan for 2024, I will mainly investigate how cognitive and behavioral strategies can be utilized to assist Japense people to overcome potential PEB constraints.

Causes of Carryover

I planed to subscrip the statistical software "PLS-SEM". However, our university provided us a similar software "AMOS",so I chose to use the latter, whhich saved my budget.