GREEN TOURISM CHOICE BEHAVIOR: THE DRIVING ROLES OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ATTITUDES AND GREEN TOURISM DEMAND IN THE MEKONG DELTA, VIETNAM

Understanding green tourism choice behavior is crucial for fostering and sustaining tourists’ participation in sustainable travel. Drawing upon the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) (Ajzen, 1991), this study aims to examine the structural determinants of individual green choice behaviors among tourists. A cross-sectional survey was conducted, yielding data from 403 domestic tourists visiting the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Data analyzed via Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) indicate that green tourism demand and environmental protection attitudes positively influence participation intention, which subsequently drives recalled green choice behavior. Furthermore, the findings reveal a positive, albeit weak, direct effect of climate change awareness on environmental protection attitudes.. The paper concludes by offering grounded managerial implications for sustainable tourism development and outlining clear directions for future research.