Stakeholder behaviour and carbon emissions in forest tourism

Encouraging stakeholder engagement is a crucial measure to promote the low-carbon transition of forest tourism destinations. Taking 16 forest tourism destinations in Liaoning Province as an example, this study explores how the cognition, willingness, and behaviour of four stakeholder groups—tourists, destination managers, enterprises, and local residents – affect the carbon emissions of tourism destinations. It analyzes the heterogeneity of the influence pathways among the four groups and examines the interactions between them. Tourists’ low-carbon cognition and willingness drive their low-carbon transport behaviour but have limited effects on accommodation, dining, and entertainment. When benefits from emission reduction are absent and low-carbon choices may reduce travel comfort, tourists’ willingness struggles to translate into action. Low-carbon cognition enhances managers’ willingness and prompts low-carbon behaviour, yet current practices remain insufficient to meet destination reduction targets. Enterprises’ low-carbon willingness is driven by revenue growth and cost reduction, not by cognition. Similarly, local residents’ low-carbon willingness depends on economic incentives. Regarding interactions, managers’ low-carbon behaviour may shelter enterprises’ transition and foster free-riding among residents. Neither managers’ nor enterprises’ behaviour significantly stimulates tourists’ low-carbon intentions.