The Role of Education Forms in Shaping Tourist Behavior and Financing: Evidence from Skiathos Island, Greece

This study investigates the effectiveness of informal and formal education channels in driving pro-environmental behavioral changes and situational learning outcomes among visitors in open-air educational settings. Using Skiathos Island (Greece) and its protected Natura 2000 wetland as an ambient learning laboratory, the research examines how ecological knowledge transfer translates into internalized ethical conduct. Utilizing a structural equation modelling (SEM) framework on a robust sample of 1121 visitors, the study tests the pedagogical pathways between educational exposure, ethical norm internalization, and long-term behavioral compliance. The structural analysis confirms that both formal instruction and on-site informal learning experiences—mediated by the internal adoption of ethical codes—positively and significantly influence learners’ pro-environmental behavioural learning outcomes within the protected area. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate that successful transformative place-based learning yields a profound value attachment, manifesting as long-term loyalty to the ecosystem’s values. Additionally, the structural model demonstrates a clear pathway for environmental financing, revealing that successful environmental literacy transforms tourist ecological awareness into a tangible readiness to pay ecological fees and support ecosystem preservation. The study contributes to interdisciplinary social sciences by extending place-based and experiential learning theories into environmental sociology and sustainable destination governance in non-traditional, high-pressure environments, providing actionable soft-management educational frameworks for public and institutional educators.