The Impact of Perceived Value, Social Norms, Destination Context and Psychological Ownership on Low-Carbon Tourism Behaviour in Chinese Rural Tourism

A comprehensive model identifying key factors influencing low-carbon tourism behavior among visitors to UNESCO World Heritage Sites, specifically the ancient villages of Xidi and Hongcun in Anhui Province, was developed. The study found that destination context, perceived value of low-carbon tourism, social norms, and psychological ownership significantly positively impact such behaviors, with destination context emerging as the most influential factor. Psychological ownership acted as a mediating variable, contributing to a model explaining 60.4% of the variance in behavior. This research provides actionable insights for governments, communities, and tourism enterprises to foster sustainable low-carbon rural tourism by integrating environmental design, value perception, social norms, and psychological ownership strategies.

Zhu, L., & Sutunyarak, C. (2026). The Impact of Perceived Value, Social Norms, Destination Context and Psychological Ownership on Low-Carbon Tourism Behaviour in Chinese Rural Tourism. Research in Ecology, 217–233. https://doi.org/10.30564/re.v8i3.13086