Integrative Use of Socio-Cognitive Theory, Stimulus-Organism-Response Model and Theory of Planned Behavior In Ecotourism Trips

Ecotourism is one of the core tourism products the Thai government is actively promoting. However, the extant literature and the markets still lack of an objective framework in explaining into tourist experiences and reactions of ecotourism trips, such as relating to the types of values tourists appreciate, and the nature of stimuli that can, most significantly, be able to cause positive eco-travel engagement of tourists, and together, deliver satisfaction and induce loyalty. To accomplish the task, this study anchors on socio-cognitive theory, stimulus-organism-response (SOR) model and the theory of planned behavior, as taking an integrative stance of the theories as the structural base for studying tourist behaviors in ecotourism trip context. A student sample group was taken in the questionnaire-based survey. The students were involved in ecotourism trips spanned three years, 2017 to 2019, as a part of their pedagogical education and experiential learning processes. The structural equation modeling (SEM) method is used, which confirms the significant roles of the five stimulus factors, namely environmentally responsible behaviors of tourists, functional value, community-ecological value, tour guide, and tourist attitude towards ecotourism. These stimulus factors lead to influence two important organism mediators: eco-travel engagementof the tourists and their satisfaction level, which supports the SOR paradigm. In addition, the antecedent variables to “ecotourism as a part of tourists decision choice set in the future” would need to incorporate the factor of tourist attitude, and the perceived behavioral control that embraces theroles of tour guides, the value propositions perceived, and satisfaction. Numerous facets of implications were also discussed.