Student perspectives on sustainability: examining pro-environmental behaviors in tourism through latent class cluster analysis

Abstract Tourism has emerged as a significant driver of the global economy. As its economic impact grows, concerns regarding environmental sustainability have intensified. This paper highlights the critical role of young tourists, who exhibit a heightened awareness of environmental issues and advocate for sustainable practices. By conducting a survey among young Italian university students, the study identifies distinct segments based on family background, self-defined political orientation, and travel habits. Using latent class cluster analysis, the findings aim to improve understanding of pro-environmental behaviors among youth, offering insights for policy makers to foster sustainable tourism practices, fine-tune communication, incentives, and pricing, and advance sustainable tourism through evidence-based strategies.