How to foster visitors’ environmentally responsible behaviour in nature-based tourism of South Korea

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic reshaped patterns of mobility, leisure, and tourism, highlighting the importance of nearby green spaces for physical and psychological wellbeing. At the same time, increasing environmental crises underscored the vulnerability of the tourism sector to climate change. Within this context, nature-based tourism (NBT) has gained attention for its potential to promote stress recovery, attentional restoration, and wellbeing, as explained by Attention Restoration Theory and Stress Recovery Theory. These restorative outcomes are also associated with ecological awareness and environmentally responsible behaviour (ERB). However, empirical research examining the relationships among multidimensional visitor experiences, restorative outcomes, environmental attitudes (NEP), and ERB remains limited, particularly in East Asian contexts. South Korea provides a distinctive setting for this inquiry due to its mountainous geography and cultural traditions emphasising harmony with nature. In particular, Seoul’s Dullegil trails, which attract over 1.6 million visitors annually, offer a unique urban nature-based tourism context where natural and urban landscapes coexist. Accordingly, the objectives of this study are: (1) to identify the multidimensional nature of visitor experiences within Korean nature-based tourism settings; (2) to examine how these experiential dimensions relate to restorative outcomes and environmental attitudes; and (3) to investigate how such experiences and outcomes contribute to environmentally responsible behaviour (ERB). Guided by a post-positivist paradigm, this study employs a mixed methods design to capture both generalizable patterns and in-depth insights into visitor experiences. Quantitative data were collected through on-site surveys to examine relationships among key variables, while qualitative data were obtained from semi-structured interviews to explore the meanings behind individual experiences. According to the interview guideline suggested by Castillo-Montoya (2016) interview questions were systematically developed and total 26 participants were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling of visitors to Seoul’s Dullegil trails. Interviews were conducted on-site or nearby between December 2023 and January 2024, lasting 45–60 minutes. Visual prompts, such as photos of hiking routes, were used to encourage rich responses. All interviews were recorded, transcribed in Korean, and translated into English with back-translation to ensure accuracy. For the analysis of qualitative interview, thematic analysis, following Braun and Clarke (2006)’s six-phase framework, identified ten overarching themes and 64 experiential codes, capturing cognitive, emotional, relational, and aesthetic dimensions of trekking. Frequently reported experiences included appreciation of scenery, pleasure and excitement, and stress relief. These qualitative insights informed the development of 57 structured survey items, validated through expert review using the Content Validity Index. A pilot survey with 119 responses confirmed the reliability of all items via PCA, KMO, and Bartlett’s tests, providing a robust foundation for the subsequent quantitative phase. In the quantitative phase, 598 valid survey responses were collected from trekkers on Seoul’s Dullegil trails to test hypotheses developed from the qualitative stage. Exploratory factor analysis confirmed nine experiential dimensions—immersion, therapeutic, achievement, reflective, learning, social interaction, social bonding, unpleasant, and perceived risk—alongside restorative outcomes (RES), environmental attitudes (NEP), and environmentally responsible behaviour (ERB). Structural equation modelling demonstrated robust measurement properties and adequate model fit, explaining substantial variance in RES (R² = 0.617), NEP (R² = 0.328), and ERB (R² = 0.406). Immersive experience emerged as the strongest and most consistent predictor, exerting positive effects on all three outcomes. Therapeutic, achievement, and learning experiences influenced both RES and ERB, while reflective experience predicted only RES. Social bonding was positively associated with RES and ERB, whereas casual interaction had a targeted effect on ERB alone. Perceived risk showed no significant associations, while unpleasant experiences unexpectedly heightened NEP. Among outcome relationships, RES predicted ERB but not NEP, whereas NEP directly predicted ERB, indicating distinct but complementary pathways to responsible behaviour. These findings demonstrate that specific experiential dimensions contribute differently to restorative outcomes and environmentally responsible behaviour. In particular, immersive and therapeutic experiences emerged as important pathways promoting both restoration and pro-environmental engagement, while eco-centric beliefs (NEP) directly influenced environmentally responsible behaviour (ERB). This study advances theory and practice in nature-based tourism by integrating qualitative insights with quantitative modelling. It extends Attention Restoration Theory, Stress Recovery Theory, and Social Exchange Theory by identifying nine experiential dimensions and incorporating embodiment, broaden-and-build, self-determination, social norm, and social capital perspectives. Managerially, findings recommend trail designs that prioritise immersive and therapeutic features, foster social bonding, and enhance exploratory learning to jointly promote restoration and environmentally responsible behaviour. Limitations include the urban, Seoul-specific trekking context, cross-sectional and self-reported data, and limited sensitivity of NEP to short-term experiences. Future research should test generalisability across settings, employ longitudinal/experimental designs, incorporate behavioural observations (e.g., GPS/litter audits), use complementary attitudinal constructs (e.g., identity, place attachment), and examine negative experiences alongside positive ones.