Transforming historical literacy into sustainable cultural tourism behavior: The mediating role of social and critical thinking in tourism education

This study aims to elucidate the mechanisms linking Historical Literacy (HIL), Social Thinking Skill (STS), and Critical Thinking Skill (CRT) to Sustainable Cultural Tourism Behavior (SCB) among Thai Generation Z students in tourism and hospitality programs. The research adopts the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as an explanatory framework, together with cognitive development concepts to systemically explain the transition “from knowing to acting” in sustainable cultural tourism contexts. A cross-sectional quantitative survey was administered to a sample of 400 undergraduate students, and the data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). All measurement instruments were developed based on an extensive literature review and underwent validity and reliability assessments prior to field data collection. The analytical results reveal that HIL significantly enhances both STS and CRT, highlighting the critical role of historical learning in fostering higher-order cognitive processes. However, HIL alone is insufficient to directly predict sustainable tourism behavior. Although STS demonstrates a positive tendency toward SCB, it does not consistently translate into sustained behavioral engagement at a statistically significant level. The most robust causal pathway identified is HIL → CRT → SCB, affirming the central mediating role of CRT. CRT functions as a meta-cognitive regulatory mechanism that transforms historical knowledge into ethical decision-making and strengthens self-regulation aligned with local contexts, community well-being, and cultural values. These findings emphasize that promoting sustainable behavior requires strategic investment in advanced cognitive skill development rather than relying solely on knowledge acquisition or social understanding. Overall, the proposed structural model demonstrates a satisfactory model fit and provides strong empirical support for explaining sustainable cultural tourism behavior within a TPB-informed framework. Rather than formally advancing TPB, the findings empirically clarify how cognitive and reflective processes help explain the gap between sustainability awareness and actual behavior among digital-native youth. Practically, the study recommends that higher education institutions and tourism industry stakeholders develop “integrated learning curricula” that combine historical learning, cultural case studies, community-based projects, and ethical reflection. Such an approach is expected to accelerate the transformation process of “knowledge → critical reflection → responsible decision-making → real-world action,” nurturing a new generation of tourists who possess both advanced cognitive competencies and strong social consciousness. This strategic direction will contribute to Thailand’s transition toward a culture-based and sustainable tourism future.