Generation Z Environmental Behavior in Tourism Purchasing Decisions: Evidence for Rural and Nature-Based Tourism

This study examines whether selected tourism preferences, sustainability-related attitudes, and motivational profiles differ between Generation Z and older respondents in Slovakia. A cross-sectional online questionnaire was administered between February and April 2026 using non-probability convenience sampling through social media, student groups, and generational communities. The final sample comprised 147 respondents (92 Generation Z, 34 Millennials/Generation Y, and 21 Generation X). Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to evaluate the conceptual measurement and structural models. The structural model supported H1, demonstrating a statistically significant positive direct effect of Generation Z membership on the preference for nature and adventure tourism ($\beta = 0.336$, $p < 0.001$, $R2 = 0.125$). H2 was not supported: when controlling for individual environmental awareness (ENV_AWARE), Generation Z membership was not a statistically significant predictor of technical-ecological accommodation preferences ($\beta = 0.045$, $p = 0.187$) and exhibited a negative relationship with local-economic sustainability support ($\beta = −0.161$, $p = 0.001$). Instead, individual environmental awareness emerged as the primary explanatory driver of both dimensions ($\beta = 0.909$ and $\beta = 0.977$, respectively; $p < 0.001$; $R2 = 0.800$). H3 was supported: Generation Z respondents exhibited a significantly stronger orientation toward extrinsic economic incentives, such as price discounts ($\beta = 0.152$, $p = 0.026$), and a substantially weaker motivation based on intrinsic moral responsibility toward future generations ($\beta = −0.376$, $p < 0.001$). The findings demystify the assumption that younger consumers automatically demand green tourism services based solely on age, highlighting that individual environmental awareness and pragmatic economic benefits play a more fundamental role in sustainable purchasing decisions. Because the study relies on a non-probability cross-sectional sample, the results should be interpreted as exploratory associations within the surveyed sample.