From value orientations to payment: health vs. environmental consciousness and willingness to pay for green hotels via green literacy

Growing interest in health protection and environmental sustainability is reshaping hospitality demand, yet it remains unclear how these value orientations translate into consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for green hotels. Addressing this value–behaviour conversion problem, we propose a dual-pathway model in which health consciousness (HC) exerts a more direct influence on WTP, whereas the effect of environmental consciousness (EC) depends on consumers’ ability to process and evaluate green-related information. Using survey data from 330 consumers and structural equation modeling, we test the roles of HC, EC, and green literacy (GL). Results show that HC is positively associated with WTP, with GL partially mediating this relationship. In contrast, EC has no direct effect on WTP; its influence operates entirely through GL, suggesting that pro-environmental values may not translate into payment intentions without sufficient sustainability-related knowledge. These findings identify GL as a cognitive conversion mechanism, clarify health-driven versus knowledge-dependent environmental pathways, and offer empirical implications for green tourism development, consumer promotion, and the green transformation of service industries along the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor.