Exploring pro-environmental behavior of religious tourists based on motivations: the case of Assisi visitors

Purpose The pro-environmental behavior of tourists is becoming a topic of growing interest for both scholars and policymakers, given the numerous implications that it can determine. Recent studies have considered the role of visitor motivations for the adoption of on-site sustainable practices. This research fits into this debate, delving into the case of religious destinations, assessing if travel motivations can determine behaviors more or less oriented toward protecting the environment. Design/methodology/approach Considering a sample of individuals who visited Assisi in the second half of 2022, a cluster analysis focused on the intensity of the motives of the visit was performed, followed by a confirmatory factor analysis centered on pro-environmental behavior and by a simple linear regression. Findings Three clusters of visitors (the “Poorly Spiritual – Cultural - Escape – Motivated (S-C-E-M),” the “Spirituals” and the “Strongly Spiritual – Cultural – Escape – Motivated (S-C-E-M”) emerged, with a different propensity to adopt pro-environmental behavior. Strongly S-C-E-M visitors, driven by cultural, spiritual and escape motives, adopt pro-environmental behavior to a greater extent than the other two groups; the spirituals are placed in an intermediate position, while the poorly S-C-E-M are the least accustomed to sustainability practices. Originality/value The paper fits into the debate concerning the antecedents of pro-environmental behavior, focusing on travel motivations. It offers a new perspective for understanding the implementation of sustainability practices by visitors to religious places, highlighting that spirituality can be a catalyst for pro-environmental behavior, but its power increases if it is accompanied by other types of motivations such as cultural and escape.