A research framework for analyzing tourists’ low-carbon travel intention: an empirical analysis in China

This study contributes to environmental research by establishing a four-step research framework for analyzing city tourists’ low-carbon travel intentions and developing a low-carbon travel promotion (LTP) index. The purpose is to explore how perceived convenience of various low-carbon transport modes impacts low-carbon travel intentions of tourists with different travel styles, and provide a new tool to help cities reduce carbon emissions. Theoretically, this study establishes a framework for analyzing low-carbon travel intentions, highlighting the role of perceived convenience in promoting low-carbon transport among tourists. The framework explains how perceived convenience of transport in city destinations affects low-carbon travel intentions of tourists with different durations of stay and various amounts of monetary spend. The findings reveal a correlation between tourists’ length of stay and the amount of money they spend at a destination, and how this affects tourists’ perceived convenience of different transport modes and their low-carbon travel intentions. Methodologically, the study develops a LTP index that is validated on four types of tourists in 47 Chinese cities. Practically, this study provides recommendations for urban and transportation planners on how to promote climate-benign tourist mobility.