The Impact of Digital Interaction on Sustainable Tourism Choices: The Moderating Roles of Digital Trust and Personal Norms

Abstract

While green purchasing behavior is central to the development of sustainable tourism, the specific roles that social media exposure and digital peer networks play in impacting such behavior require further elucidation. Drawing on customer value theory, this paper analyzes how social media and peer networks, through shaping the emotional, economic, functional, and relational values customers hold toward green tourism products, influence their green purchasing attitude and intention. Analyzing the survey data gathered from 259 Chinese travelers with Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling, we identify both statistically significant and non-significant correlations, accompanied by their respective standardized estimates and confidence intervals. Firstly, compared with economic value, relational and functional value play a bigger role in strengthening green purchasing attitude, which, in turn, positively impact purchasing intention. Secondly, while personal norms intensify the linkage between green purchasing attitude and intention, digital trust is shown to amplify the emotional value. With the linkage between economic value and green purchase attitude being statistically non-significant, we concludes that relational and functional values dominate attitudinal formation in the context of green tourism purchasing. The study offers theoretical and practical implications for tourism businesses, policymakers, and digital marketers committed to supporting sustainability in tourism. By drawing on the findings presented, stakeholders can enhance their strategies to promote more responsible consumer behaviors, thus aligning with both economic and environmental sustainability goals.