The impact of a friendly tourism environment on tourists’ willingness to pay more: a comparative study

Purpose This research aims to identify the key factors influencing tourists’ willingness to pay (WTP) a premium for destination experiences, considering perspectives from both domestic and international visitors. The study explores the mediating and moderating effects of various attributes within the S-O-R (Stimulus-Organism-Response) framework, providing insights into how different tourist groups perceive and value destination features. These findings are intended to guide strategic decisions for tourism businesses and destination managers. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 465 international and 622 domestic tourists to analyze the factors shaping their WTP a premium. The study further examines how hotel and restaurant quality moderates the behavior of domestic tourists, while financial risk influences international visitors. Statistical analysis was used to test the proposed hypotheses and deepen the understanding of tourist behavior. Findings The results indicate that for domestic tourists, factors such as attitude, social norms and perceived behavioral control (PBC) significantly influence the relationship between a welcoming tourism environment and the WTP more. For international tourists, mediating factors such as sociocultural development, information services and leisure play a vital role. Additionally, hotel and restaurant quality positively impacts domestic tourists’ WTP, whereas financial risk negatively affects this relationship for international tourists. Originality/value This study provides fresh insights into the factors driving tourists’ WTP a premium, highlighting differences between domestic and international visitor segments within the S-O-R framework. It emphasizes the importance of mediators such as attitude, social norms and PBC, as well as moderators like hotel quality and financial risk. By offering a comparative analysis of domestic and foreign tourists, this research contributes to the literature and provides actionable recommendations for tourism businesses and destination managers to enhance customer satisfaction and increase revenue.