The More Advanced, the Better? A Comparative Analysis of Interpretation Effectiveness of Different Media on Environmental Education in a Global Geopark

Tourism interpretation serves as a bridge and link between tourism resources and tourists. Through interpretation, visitors can be effectively conveyed knowledge about environmental education, local history, society and culture, etc. Despite extensive study on tourism interpretation, insufficient attention has been directed towards the medium of interpretation and the variances of interpretation effectiveness across different media. Using Yandang Mountain Global Geopark, Zhejiang Province, China, as a case study, the present study investigates the differences in pre- and post-interpretation and the interpretation effectiveness of different media on visitors’ perceived knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions. A total of 600 questionnaires were distributed during two data collection periods, resulting in 554 valid responses. The results indicate that respondents that engaged in tourism interpretation related to environmental education demonstrated superior performance across all three dimensions compared to those who were not exposed to such interpretation. Additionally, the findings suggest that while the novelty of virtual reality may draw increased attention from tourists, the changes in perceived knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions regarding the destination following VR exposure do not exceed those prompted by brochures and videos. The present study can enrich the research on the tourism interpretation of environmental education and offer references for managers to select appropriate media and provide good practices in geopark management.