Short stay, long impact: ecological footprints of sojourners

Abstract

The study proposes an empirical model (based on stimulus-organism-response as conceptual framework) to analyse sojourners' intention to adopt green practices (i.e., electronic consumption behaviour). Specifically, the proposed model comprises ethical, ecological and economic concerns as stimuli while mapping sojourners' altruistic traits and beliefs in climate change, which further lead to their green behaviour. The study investigates a sample of 1184 sojourners in China. Results highlight that sojourners' perceived concerns (stimuli) are partially mediated by sojourners' altruistic traits and beliefs in climate change while defining their green behaviour. The novel contributions of the current study include determining sojourners' green behaviour, the role of scientific literacy and regulatory policy in green behaviour and generalising and proposing the concept of sojourner leakage (adapted from tourism leakage). The study emphasises that sojourners can be strategic stakeholders by involving them in designing, implementing and communicating green policies and reforms in diverse societies.

Keywords: Green behaviour; S-O-R framework; Sojourner; Sojourner leakage.