An investigation into the mechanisms of media use influencing pro-environmental contextual forces and sustainable behaviors in rural tourism

This study delves into the impact of traditional media and social media on acquiring environmental information and its influence on pro-environmental behaviors in rural tourism. The research employs traditional media and social media as independent variables and identifies pro-environmental contextual forces as mediating variables between media use and pro-environmental behaviors, investigating their effects on tourists’ pro-environmental behaviors in rural tourism. A questionnaire survey was conducted through travel groups on social media and public travel websites, resulting in 298 valid responses. The study findings indicate that the use of both traditional media and social media significantly and positively influences pro-environmental contextual forces. Furthermore, pro-environmental contextual forces have a significant positive impact on pro-environmental behaviors. The research also reveals that place attachment moderates the relationship between pro-environmental contextual forces and behavior. Traditional media proves effective in shaping pro-environmental behavior, while social media has a more pronounced impact on pro-environmental contextual forces.