Exploring ESG-driven consumer behavior: examining the dual mediation of natural capital and hospitality quality and the three-way interaction

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine how environmental, social and governance (ESG) perceptions influence travelers' travel intentions through the dual mediating roles of natural capital and the quality of hotels and restaurants. In addition, this study investigates the moderating effects of attitude, social norms, pleasure and perceived behavioral control within the proposed framework. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from 400 foreign tourists visiting Taiwan. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the proposed relationships among ESG dimensions, natural capital, hospitality quality, and travel intentions. Furthermore, the PROCESS macro was applied to simultaneously examine mediation, moderation, and three-way interaction effects within the integrated model. Findings The results indicate that all three ESG dimensions (environmental, social and governance) indirectly influence travel intentions through natural capital and hospitality quality. Attitude and social norms strengthen the relationship between natural capital and the quality of hotels and restaurants. Moreover, pleasure and perceived behavioral control jointly moderate the relationship between hospitality quality and travel intentions, revealing a significant three-way interaction effect. Originality/value This study contributes to the tourism literature by integrating destination-level ESG perceptions, natural capital, hospitality quality and the theory of planned behavior within a conditional process framework. It examines how these established theoretical perspectives jointly explain tourists' travel intentions through sequential mediation and psychological boundary conditions. The findings, obtained by extending the application of ESG perceptions to the destination level, provide a more comprehensive understanding of sustainable tourist decision-making.