Do Knowledge and Experience Value Affect Green Tourism Activity Participation and Buying Decision? A Case Study of Natural Dyeing Experience in China

Abstract

With the rapid development of niche tourism, green tourism activity has become known to the wider public. By taking into account the extended theory of planned behaviour (TPB), this study takes natural dyeing experience as a case study, with the aim of determining the tourist purchase intention of green products under the destination experience scenario. A quantitative approach was adopted, and 349 valid sets of data were collected from individuals who have participated in natural dyeing activities. Partial least squares–structural equation modelling (PLS–SEM) analysis was conducted to test the conceptual model. The results indicate that experience value (EV) had a significant impact on green purchase conception and intention. In addition, subjective norm had a significant positive influence on tourism green purchase attitude. However, environmental knowledge failed to predict green purchase attitude and perceived behavioural control. The PLS–SEM analysis confirmed the extended TPB model, which showed relatively good predictive validity. Findings suggest that TPB mediated the relationship between EV and purchase intention. The extended model considerably contributes to improving understanding of the impact on green tourism products and dissects theoretical and practical implications to practitioners. Apart from strengthening the experience value from attaining, learning, escapism, and fantasy aspects, on the basis of previous literature, this study concludes that practically, environmental education regarding the experimental environment in tourism destinations in China should return to green activity itself and induce the support of green tourism products. Tourism marketers should trigger personal green knowledge through sense experience in the process of stimulating and promoting green tourism activities, as well as stimulate purchasing power.

1. Introduction

In recent years, tourism development has perceived huge economic benefits to countries. The purchase behaviour of tourists has also increased. However, tourism construction has led to adverse ecological degradation. Green tourism is a form of niche tourism that involves green marketing, conservation, education, environmental preservation, and sociocultural effects. Green tourism was developed from a new niche market opportunity and started a new direction in the 1980s towards an exemplary form of sustainable rural development [1]. This type of tourism activity has distinguished the route from massive tourism. Specific to green tourism and activity involvement, pro-environmental behaviour is mainly focused on conservation actions (e.g., energy or water saving, waste reduction, and green purchase behaviour) and local protection (e.g., respecting the local environmental customs and values, education, and custom activity involvement).

On this basis, from sustainable tourism itself, the Chinese government promotes the combination strategy of community tourism and green tourism, driving tourists to experience the production of traditional local products (mostly natural food or handcrafts) and return to the original ecology culture. These kinds of products are likely handmade and processed using primitive manual methods and techniques. Accordingly, they are produced with less pollution and are sustainable. From the perspective of tourists, factors such as the experience of a tourism activity and green behaviour, which enhance the sense of interaction, can enhance the goodwill of tourists towards destinations, thereby enhancing the desire of tourists to consume in the local area.

Meanwhile, the popularity of green tourism is a vivid reflection of a better development with balancing economic development and sustainability, responsibility, cultural sensitivity, and education [2]. Green tourism in a protected area can generate substantial revenues to local community, boosting positive life cycle between economy development and responsible actions in nature [3]. Direct and indirect employment creates service employment opportunities for most local populations. An ideal interactive ecotour can provide a meaningful experience and guide tourists to have confidence in actions to go green [4], along with raising awareness to citizens’ environmental protection, attracting domestic investment and promoting local employment. Therefore, the equilibrium of seasonal tourists’ profit gains, which are the mainstay of the rural community economy, can retain the normal operation of ecotourism and further take measurements on ecological environmental protection. The economic gains are frequently followed by green product display and selling.

In travel destinations, green product selling has two categories: commemorative products (i.e., handicraft produced using traditional methods) and practical products (i.e., local specialities produced from traditional and health materials) [5]. Different from traditional green product selling, in green tourism activity domains, visitors are allowed to observe the production process and engage with local artisans. Chinese natural dyeing experience is a good example: This involves the traditional making experience, authentic ambiance, interaction with residents, education, and an attractive eco souvenir relevant to natural dyes. Understanding that synthetic dyes extensively produce dye wastewater, natural dyes are more sustainable in terms of extracting a bioresource product and have the advantages of biodegradability and environmental compatibility [6]. The whole process aims to minimise the toxicity of synthetic dyes in the manufacturing process, which has a negative impact on the environment, dyers, and users [7]. Unlike the toxic and harmful effects associated with synthetic dyes, its dyeing juice is mainly obtained from plants, insects, and minerals, utilising traditional methods to create unexpected dyeing patterns with craftsman guidance. Product patterns can vary when fibres are tied, the colours are different, and the dyeing time is monitored and controlled. Ideally, through immersion in a handcraft atmosphere, exploring traditional Chinese culture, and accepting natural dyeing scenarios, visitors are likely to be placed in a distinctively pleasing mood and furthermore attracted by the natural equivalents displayed in workshop.

Tourism marketing researchers provide tremendous useful literature on green purchase behaviour [8]. The consumer values of the purchase intention perspective [9] and distinguished consumer perspective [10,11,12] are considered to determine the effectiveness of the perspectives of green purchase push-and-pull factors [13,14] and repurchase intention [15,16]. However, only a few studies have explored the relationship between green tourism activity participation and green purchase intention. Previous research, such as that of Maichum et al. [17], mainly focused on consumers’ environmental knowledge (EK) and purchase intention domains. Antón et al. [18] discussed the broad perspective between experience involvement and consumer behaviour after visits. However, logically, from the ecotourism activity perspective, green purchase intention occurs during and after activity participation. Therefore, the present study involved deductive reasoning from experience value (EV), EK acquisition, and consumers’ purchase intention. One type of tourism activity, which is capable of inducting purchase occurrence in local interaction, workplace ambience, environmental education, and green product display, is used to explore the correlations with tourists’ participation and green purchase activity. Therefore, this study aimed to attempt to fill the gaps of the previous study, which mainly focused on green buying attitudes and to what extend from the experience value and knowledge may potentially lead to consumer behaviour involved in green activity.

With the help of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), this thesis applied natural dyeing activities in China as a case study to explore the direct and indirect relationships between tourist ecotourism participation and purchase intention. Specifically, this study aimed to fulfil four objectives: (1) to explore a series of influences of tourists’ EK and EV that affect their behaviour when purchasing green tourism product; (2) investigate the relationship between attitude, behaviour, and perceived behaviour control and consumers’ willingness to pay for a green product; (3) to seek the acceptability of EK acquired by tourists participating in green tourism activities; and (4) to make recommendations for marketers under the tourism development of green tourism activities. This study contributes knowledge to ecotourism green practitioners, further understands the buying behaviour of visitors, and provides a road map to marketers in designing green product.

The study is organised into five chapters. In the following sections, the literature review provides a comprehensive overview of supported concepts corresponding with the confirmed relations. Chapter three introduces the method we used in the study. On the basis of the conceptual model and research tools, chapter four discusses the direct and indirect relations. The extension implications, recommendations, and limitations are presented in the final chapter.

2. Literature Review

2.1. Pro-Environmental Behaviour (PEB)

PEB is also labelled as ‘green behaviour’, ‘conservation behaviour’, ‘environmental responsible behaviour’, and ‘being sustainable and green’. According to the moral disengagement concept, people tend to engage in pro-social behaviour with their internal moral standards [19]. There are two categories of green tourism PEB, namely, low-effort PEB and high-effort PEB. Low-effort PEB is described as an action that could comparatively generate sustainable benefit for the environment [20]. It could present as a lifestyle behaviour (e.g., household energy conservation), inter-population effect (e.g., environmental persuasion), environmental citizenship (e.g., supporting environment protection policy), or social environmentalism (e.g., consumption) [21]. High-effort PEB requires more time and effort, for instance, volunteering for conservation projects and public welfare) [19].

Specific to ecotourism and activity involvement, pro-environmental behaviour is mainly focused on conservation actions (e.g., energy or water saving, waste reduction, and green purchase behaviour) and local protection (e.g., respecting local environmental customs and values, education, and custom activity involvement). An ideal interactive eco tour could provide a meaningful experience and guide tourists to have confidence in actions to go green [4]. Guided by Xi Jinping’s socialist ideology and China’s characteristics in the new era, and following the development concept of ‘innovation, coordination, green, openness, and sharing’, we believe that attracting tourists who have a positive attitude and the will to protect the environment, as well as to establish pro-environmental behaviour and actions are essential components in promoting sustainable tourism.

In contrast, the perceived value of green tourism is based on the money paid and the benefits gained in the consumption calculation. Therefore, when green tourism providers are able to provide services that meet the needs of tourists, they will form a positive perception of ecotourism, further improving tourists’ satisfaction and participation in ecotourism activities. When the level of participation increases, tourists’ attention to the environment will also deepen their psychological feelings towards the ecology and indirectly promote their environmentally responsible behaviour [22]. In addition, green tourism activities and environmental concerns step into positive circulation.

2.2. Green Consumerism and Green Purchase Behaviour

Green consumerism is distinct from sustainable consumerism because it mainly emphasises green, renewable, and healthy practice domains but merely focuses on moderate, civilised, and healthy consumption [23]. In 2001, the concept of green consumerism was sorted by the China Consumer Association, which emphasised three domains, namely, encouraging consumers to buy healthy or eco-friendly products, reasonably disposing waste, and changing minds with the supportive tactical road of green consumption [23]. Consumers create value and position as a social practice. They decide their consumption on the basis of material composition, price, brand image, and their knowledge.

Being associated with green tourism activity in the field of wellness, health, and leisure and being frequently linked with the valuing of nature as well as non-massive and unique experience, green products provided in travel destinations are seen as important drivers towards a responsible, intimate, memorable, and unique experience setting [8]. In travel destinations, green product selling has two categories: commemorative products (i.e., handicraft produced by traditional method) and practical products (i.e., local specialities produced from traditional and health materials) [5]. Different from traditional green product selling, in ecotourism activity domains, visitors are allowed to observe the production process and engage with local artisans. When emerged in activities, visitors are likely to achieve a renewed and unique product design that offers a distinctively pleasing mood.

This kind of experience could allow tourists to assert self-identity and extend their social thinking horizon. Green tourism provides non-extraction and creates ecological conscience, holding eco-centric values and ethics concerning nature. Under educational guidance and tourism, consumers could enhance green purchase awareness, which occurs especially among educated middle- and upper-class consumers. In this condition, organic consumption, environmental responsibility, and class status have embraced one another and have been awarded a sense of wealth and class distinction. However, Shao [23] argued that green consumerism could be presented as status consumption and ethic consumption. Environmental consideration is marked up more than class-based identity. Even the most well-intended understanding of consumers of this place may be comparatively vague. Khare [24] pointed out that past environmental protection behaviour, attitude, and awareness of environmental problems influence consumers’ green purchase decisions. Thus, consumers are willing to use the non-monetary exchange of meaningful practice in nature.

2.3. Tourists’ Demand in Green Tourism Activity

Marketing researchers pursue the understanding of the dynamic and complex consumption and decision-making processes of tourists such that guidelines can be contributed to allow needy stakeholders to make better decisions. Diverse motivations, benefits, or activities were found for the tourism market.

Non-massive tourist initiatives can generate significant income for local inhabitants while taking care of the environment through environmental education and activities. According to Shao [23], educated middle- and upper-class tourists are likely to consume green products and services because community-based ecotourism represents status, responsibility, and ethics. Kastenholz et al. [8] explored the marketing characteristics of two types of visitors, namely, the group of activists preserving nature and culture and the community exploratory cluster. The result demonstrates their favourable attitude towards cultural preservation concerns, appreciated local products, and participation in activities. Buffa [25] examined two types of visitors specific to young tourists. Research has confirmed that soft-path young tourists tend to have a more comfortable and relaxed trip, whereas hard-path young tourists are more rational on tourist consumption and are inclined to be sustainable, authentic, and to try new products. Further suggestions for destination building or reconstruction, especially targeting the young market, could be biased in terms of the unique features of the territory, such as historic, artistic, and historically illustrious features.

Given the diversity and complexity of the tourist market, the understanding of the target segment can predict and manipulate their positive and negative attitudes of community-based activities in advance. The community needs to grasp the positioning of the market segment to have more sustainable development opportunities. Acquiring market knowledge allows the local government to carefully manage the target segment. Thus, the negative impact on the local community is minimised.

2.4. Variables Related to Three TPB Variables

The theory of TPB has good explanatory and predictive power in the application of tourism behaviour [15,26]. It believes that visitors’ behaviour decision can be effectively controlled by their inner subjective consciousness and is a kind of rational behaviour decision [27,28]. Specifically, behavioural attitude (ATT), subjective norm (SN), and perceived behavioural control (PBC) have an impact on individuals’ behavioural intention, and behavioural intention indirectly affects their behaviour [29].

According to Nurul Amanina [30], ATT refers to an individual statement that can respond to certain feelings or actions towards an object or a surrounding environmental condition. Abundant evidence can illustrate the significant linkage between tourists’ positive attitude towards purchasing green product and willingness to pay a premium (WTPP) for environmental contributions [31,32,33]. From the standard knowledge hierarchy, the viewpoint of consumers’ attitude is presented by their product or service understanding. Hultman et al. [33] found a strong relationship between affective attitude and WTPP. This study provides the pre-requisite for green tourism activity participators to investigate their attitude towards eco-friendly products displayed in community areas.

SN refers to personal attributes that can be affected by society or a reference group (e.g., family, colleagues, and friends) [10,28]. Especially in Oriental countries that have collectivism culture, the individual has pressure related to their agemates. They care about people who are important to them and do not want to let them down [34,35]. In general, for a particular scenario, consumers seek help and support when met with uncertainties. Few studies have examined the relationship between SN and the purchase of green products.

PBC refers to individual ease [36]. According to Ajzen [28], PBC is an individual’s ability to assess how they could conquer difficulties when dealing with prospective situations. The SN component of TPB is a result of multiple regression analyses and reveals that the SN and PBC of TPB are significantly effective in predicting revisit intention [37] and purchasing behaviour [10,17,38].

2.5. Experience Value (EV)

In the recent market, there are various of marketing patterns utilised to promote green tourism development—for instance, propaganda of package sales and tailor-made attractions, used to strengthen visitors’ loyalty to a tourist destination. However, from Rather’s [39] viewpoint, marketers should focus more on consumer experience design with region special features, foster joyful memories and identification in visitors, and promote consumer-perceived connections, such that ultimately individuals are more likely to identify with the travel destination. Similar notions reveal that given the uniqueness of tourism, visitors in most conditions are eager to escape from everyday life [40], obtaining intrinsic rewards (the attainment and competence in education and learning) [33], joy, and fantasy [18]. From a marketing perspective, Zaichkowsky [41] proposed the definition of leisure involvement as visitors’ sensitivity to be involved in leisure activities. This study highlighted that individuals and certain activities stimulated by external surroundings are related. Sensitivity evaluations are based on their inherent needs, values, and interests. In this regard, given that personnel needs and interests are not easy to measure, tourist experience cannot be measured without analysing a subjective dimension: the EV dimension [18]. Therefore, understanding visitors’ engagement as their value-adding behaviour can make energetic contributions to enterprise development [42].

In the strategic green tourism market, marketing campaigns should involve people, places, lifestyles, artefacts, values, and social relationships [43]. Overall, tourists are more willing to immerse themselves in the novel, exotic, and treasurable travel in order to enjoy a temporary joyful period [32,44]. Tourism innovation is more welcomed among visitors, providing a value-delivered, comfortable atmosphere and new style of exploration [44]. When green tourism programmes could ensure sufficient education, participation, and interaction, visitors can convert their ideas and provide great support for the protection of natural resources as well [45]. In this practice, ecotourism for green protections is more than welcome by the niche market, such as creatives, environmentalists, educators, and families [33].

Natural dyeing experience can provide memorable conditions for consumers and the green commodity demand. Residents’ interaction can enhance tourist and consumer experience and has a positive impact on tourism sustainability [33]. Thus, visitors’ involvement in the co-creation experience can boost satisfaction and happiness. Moreover, using natural dyeing experience as a case study of green tourism activity aspects to investigate consumers’ purchasing behaviour is valid.

Previous studies provided evidence that other- and self-interested dimensions can drive an individual to establish personal value and motivate behaviour in terms of a new psychological concept [46]. The perceived value of ecotourism has multiple dimensions. Ecotourism activity in the field of wellness, health, and leisure is frequently linked with the valuing of nature, as well as non-massive and unique experience, and thus green products provided in travel destinations are seen as important drivers in terms of responsible, intimate, memorable, and unique experience settings [8]. On the basis of this notion, as participating in natural dyeing activities can entertain local communities whilst creating craft arts without chemical processing, the green movement by a group or an individual may motivate visitors to persuade themselves to act positively when purchasing a green product. The structure of the proposed model is shown in Figure 1.

Despite varying perspectives amongst the abovementioned researchers, most conceptualisations have some common points. Zeithaml et al. [47] pointed out that, given the complexity of service characteristics (intangibility, inseparability, heterogeneity, and perishability), a multidimensional discussion can be more accurate than an investigation of a single value. On the basis of previous literature, we examined cognitive value (containing attainment and learning attributes) and emotional value (containing escapism and fantasy attributes) according to tourists’ perceptions of EV.

Hypothesis 1 (H1).

EV (attainment, learning, escapism, and fantasy) is positively associated with green purchase attitude.

Hypothesis 2 (H2).

EV (attainment, learning, escapism, and fantasy) is positively associated with subjective norm (SN).

Hypothesis 3 (H3).

EV (attainment, learning, escapism, and fantasy) is positively associated with perceived behavioural control (PBC).

2.6. Environmental Knowledge (EK)

EK relates to an individual who knows how to deduce environmental problems, is willing to take responsibility of the ecosystem, and wants to make contributions to sustainable development [48]. The construction of the entire sense of environmental responsibility consciousness, intention, and behaviour was initially developed by tourists’ EK and belief [17]. Ecotourism provides non-extraction and creates ecological conscience, holding eco-centric values and ethics concerning nature. Under educational guidance and tourism, consumers could enhance green purchase awareness, which happens especially among educated middle- and upper-class consumers. In this condition, organic consumption, environmental responsibility, and class status have embraced one another and have been awarded a sense of wealth and class distinction.

Empirical evidence suggests that ecological issues could help to promote the tourist awareness of the economic benefits to make local environment conservation substantial [49]. Hill and Lynchehaun [50] state that environmental awareness would embody long-term environmental supports; increasing consumers’ ecological knowledge could stimulate a consumptive notion and eventually accelerate internal tourism requirements [51,52,53]. Educational programs can promote visitors’ EK [54], which is helpful in terms of evaluating consumer behaviour and suggesting action strategies [55].

EK is proven to have a direct or an indirect influence on consumers’ green purchase behaviour. People select attention and react on the basis of their acquired knowledge. Reference [56] investigated the differences between Chinese and Taiwanese students on campus in terms of their EK, environmental attitude and behavioural intention. Maichum et al. [17] revealed that EK has a positive and significant impact on attitude and PBC in the purchase intention of green product amongst Thai people. However, they found that EK has a lack of connection with SN.

Hypothesis 4 (H4).

EK is positively associated with green purchase attitude.

Hypothesis 5 (H5).

EK is positively associated with PBC.

2.7. Purchase Intention of Green Tourism Product

Purchase intention is defined as to what extent can predisposition of personal belief and value become actions [9]. It believes that visitors’ behaviour decision can be effectively controlled by their inner subjective consciousness and is a kind of rational behaviour decision [57]. Recent research has revealed that when consumptive behaviour occurs, consumers often enjoy creating value for themselves [58]. Jamrozy and Lawonk [59] illustrated the strong relationship between emotional value and ecotourism purchase intention. The positive relationship between EV and WTPP is assumed on the basis of the above literature.

Previous literature proved that attitude, SN, and PBC have influences on purchasing green products. However, to the best of our knowledge, only limited studies focus on the coherent tourism activity in tourists’ participation and WTPP for green products during their visit. As a result, the following hypotheses are proposed.

Hypothesis 6 (H6).

Green purchase attitude is positively associated with the purchase intention of green tourism product.

Hypothesis 7 (H7).

SN is positively associated with the purchase intention of green tourism product.

Hypothesis 8 (H8).

SN is positively associated with green purchase attitude.

Hypothesis 9 (H9).

PBC is positively associated with the purchase intention of green tourism product.

3. Methodology

The questionnaire was written in English and Chinese. The back translation began with the English version. Experts made two rounds of translation. The feedback from the pilot study was carefully scrutinised, and necessary changes were made on the questionnaire. The questionnaire design selected a professional platform, Wenjuanxing, which is well known in China for collecting data through survey questionnaires.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to avoid close contact, an online survey method and convenience sample approach was used to collect data. For two months, Wenjuanxing online survey was distributed through a link and uploaded to one of the most commonly used social application platforms in China, WeChat (6 November to 30 December 2020). For efficiency, this link was shared through WeChat moments and various groups, and people were encouraged to repost the link. The group users were mainly based in Guangdong and Beijing. Individuals who fulfilled and submitted the questionnaire received RMB 5 and an added incentive of RMB 15 if they forwarded the link. On the basis of the synthesis result, we found that respondents were mostly younger in age and had lower purchasing power. Compared with the older population, who might be more conservative and afraid to travel during the pandemic, the younger population have more chance and willingness to try to have experiences in travel destinations. A large portion of participants attended natural dyeing activates through a short-term programme carried out by schools or cooperative institutions. Therefore, unlike traditional consumption patterns, this study reflects younger travellers with higher levels of education who have the opportunity to access abundant travel experience activities.

3.1. Research Instrument Development

The quantitative approach and a survey questionnaire were utilised to examine the assumptions. Inspired by Maichum et al. [17] and Antón et al. [18], we assessed seven ecotourism participation experiences, tourist green purchase intentions, and related factors using a self-administered questionnaire. A total of 28 variables were presented in the main body of the questionnaire and distributed on a seven-point Likert scale to measure the six constructs.

All the measurement items are based on existing literature, and some of the wording was moderated to guarantee model integrity (see

Table 1. Measurement of dimensions and references.

Dimension		Code	Question Items	References
Environmental knowledge (EK)		EK1	I am aware that chemical pollutants are produced during manufacturing of synthetic or manufactured fibres such as polyester.	Khare [24]
		EK2	I am aware that air pollution can occur during some common dye processes of textiles.
		EK3	I am aware that dyeing and finishing processes use a lot of water.
		EK4	I am aware that it is very difficult to recycle the wastewater created by textile and apparel dyeing and finishing processes.
Attitude towards purchasing green tourism products (ATT)		ATT1	I think it makes sense to purchase green products made with traditional techniques.	Maichum et al. [17]
		ATT2	I think that purchasing green product with traditional techniques is a good idea.
		ATT3	I think that purchasing green product with traditional techniques is safe.
Subjective norm (SN)		SN1	My family think that I should purchase green products rather than normal products.	Maichum et al. [17]
		SN2	My close friends think that I should purchase green products rather than normal products.
		SN3	My close friends and family members would appreciate if I purchase green products.
Perceived behavioural control (PBC)		PBC1	I am confident that I can purchase natural dyeing products in a workshop.	Maichum et al. [17]
		PBC2	I see myself as capable of purchasing natural dyeing products in a workshop.
		PBC3	I have resources, time, and willingness to purchase natural dyeing products in workshop.
Purchase intention of green tourism products (PI)		PI1	After the natural dyeing experience, I have a high desire to purchase the ecological natural dyeing products displayed in a workshop.	Woo; Kim [9]
		PI2	Overall, in a workshop, I am very happy to buy ecological natural dyeing products because they are environmentally friendly.
		PI3	I would purchase the ecological natural dyeing products in a workshop, even if I have to give up some quality.
Experience value	Attainment (ATM)	ATM1	I have made the most of my time during the visit.	Antón et al. [18]
		ATM2	I have seen and/or done many interesting things at the workshop.
		ATM3	I have enjoyed a full experience at the workshop.
	Learning (LN)	LN1	The experience has been enriching.
		LN2	During the visit, I have learnt things I didn’t know.
		LN3	The experience has been instructive.
	Escapism (ESC)	ESC1	The visit has enabled me to leave my cares and pressure behind.
		ESC2	The visit has enabled me to get away from it all.
		ESC3	The visit has enabled me to forget everything else.
	Fantasy (FAN)	FAN1	The visit has stirred my imagination.
		FAN2	During the visit, I have built my own fantasies and hopes.
		FAN3	I have felt captivated by the visit.

). Specifically, the pilot test was conducted for the double-checking of wording, understanding or other mistakes in case the variables could not be provided accurately. Before the formal data collection, the first version was conducted amongst 100 consumers who have participated in natural dyeing activities during travel. The same tools and methods were used to assess validity during information processing.

3.2. Participants and Procedures

Snowball sampling method was adopted in this study, obtaining representation from individuals in most of the regions in China. The target population comprised visitors who have participated in natural dyeing activities during their visits in China. The selected 461 respondents were asked to fill out the questionnaire, and 406 respondents were willing to participate. In general, after excluding 57 invalid filling time and incomplete responses, 349 completed questionnaires were obtained for analysis. According to the ‘10×’ rule of thumb, the minimum size of the ‘10×’ maximum number of independent variables was required in the outer and inner models [60].

4. Discussion

Of the 349 respondents, most were female (61.32%), aged between 19 and 29 (53.3%), and held a diploma or bachelor’s degree (47.56%). Most respondents also came from Guangdong (33.52%) and Beijing (24.93%). Regarding the income level, 24.07% of the respondents earn less than RMB 3000 income per month, 21.49% earn RMB 9001–12,000 per month, 18.05% have a monthly income ranging from RMB 3000 to 6000, and 15.19% earn RMB 6000–9000 monthly. Nearly half of the respondents were not willing to pay more than RMB 500 (approximately 80 U.S. dollars) for a green tourism product, accounting for 46.99% (See

Table 2. Demographic profile of sample characteristics (n = 349).

Items	Classification	Frequency	Percentage
Gender	Male	135	38.68
	Female	214	61.32
Age	Below 18 years old	30	8.60
	19–29 years old	186	53.30
	30–39 years old	45	12.89
	40–49 years old	20	5.73
	50–59 years old	42	12.03
	Over 60 years old	26	7.45
Education level	High school and below	100	28.65
	Diploma or bachelor’s degree	166	47.56
	Master’s degree	57	16.33
	Doctorate and above	26	7.45
Area of residence	Anhui	1	0.29
	Beijing	87	24.93
	Northeast China	3	0.86
	Fujian	2	0.57
	Guangdong	117	33.52
	Guizhou	3	0.86
	Hebei	1	0.29
	Henan	3	0.86
	Hubei	1	0.29
	Hong Kong	4	1.15
	Jiangsu	2	0.57
	Jiangxi	1	0.29
	Macau	16	4.58
	Ningxia	2	0.57
	Shandong	1	0.29
	Shanxi	1	0.29
	Shanghai	36	10.32
	Sichuan	1	0.29
	Tianjin	31	8.88
	Taiwan	1	0.29
	Xinjiang	1	0.29
	Yunnan	1	0.29
	Zhejiang	33	9.46
Monthly personal income (RMB)	3000 and below	84	24.07
	3001–6000	63	18.05
	6001–9000	53	15.19
	9001–12,000	75	21.49
	12,001–15,000	43	12.32
	More than 15,000	31	8.88
Willingness to spend on green tourism product (RMB)	500 and below	164	46.99
	501–1000	94	26.93
	1001–3000	49	14.04
	More than 3000	42	12.03

Note: RMB 6.54 = USD 1.00 (at the time of writing).

).

4.1. Data Analysis

To confirm the reliability and validity of the scales, we tested the measurement model fit by conducting confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using partial least squares–structural equation modelling (PLS–SEM) (SmartPLS). Specifically, CFA was accomplished in SmartPLS 3.3.1 by testing six constructs: attitude, SN, PBC, EK, EV, and purchase intention of a green tourism product. Subsequently, the SmartPLS 3.3.1 bootstrapping technique was used to measure the corresponding relationship for the hypotheses and mediations.

4.2. Reliability and Validity Evaluation

Cronbach’s alpha is widely used for testing the internal consistency in SmartPLS and thus the reliability of the result. The indicator reliability ranges from 0 to 1, and the acquired constructs should be beyond the recommendation of 0.70 [61,62]. As presented in

Table 3. Reliability and validity of the constructs.

Constructs	Items	Factor Loadings	Cronbach’s α	Composite Reliability (CR)	Average Variance Extracted (AVE)
ATM	ATM1	0.789	0.793	0.879	0.707
	ATM2	0.868
	ATM3	0.864
ATT	ATT1	0.808	0.787	0.875	0.700
	ATT2	0.869
	ATT3	0.831
EK	EK1	0.750	0.794	0.866	0.619
	EK2	0.814
	EK3	0.795
	EK4	0.787
ESC	ESC1	0.861	0.755	0.860	0.673
	ESC2	0.835
	ESC3	0.762
FAN	FAN1	0.863	0.842	0.904	0.759
	FAN2	0.878
	FAN3	0.873
LN	LN1	0.903	0.868	0.919	0.792
	LN2	0.874
	LN3	0.891
PBC	PBC1	0.880	0.818	0.891	0.731
	PBC2	0.804
	PBC3	0.877
PI	PI1	0.852	0.779	0.871	0.693
	PI2	0.859
	PI3	0.786
SN	SN1	0.862	0.805	0.885	0.720
	SN2	0.848
	SN3	0.835

, the Cronbach’s alphas for all constructs ranged from 0.755 to 0.868. The factor loadings of variables were present from 0.750 to 0.903, and the composite reliability (CR) tests ranged from 0.860 to 0.919. The loadings of all items were within the acceptable range. Therefore, all the values obtained the suggested consistency and are reliable.

CR and average variance extracted (AVE) were used to evaluate the convergent validity. The CR coefficient should be beyond 0.7, as it measures the varying factor loadings of the items [63]. In this study, the CR tests ranged from 0.860 to 0.919. An acceptable variance for AVE is 0.5 or higher [63]. Information concerning the outcome of validity analysis is presented in Table 3. The AVE tests met the requirement and ranged from 0.619 to 0.792.

Discriminant validity examines the correlation amongst the square root of AVE and corresponding constructs by using the correlation ratio of heterotrait–monotrait [64]. For the validity test, the latent construct should present a large variance with the corresponding latent constructs [64].

Table 4. Discriminant validity test based on the heterotrait–monotrait ratio of correlations (HTMT).

	ATM	ATT	EK	ESC	FAN	LN	PBC	PI	SN
ATM	0.839 *
ATT	0.266	0.835 *
EK	0.321	0.273	0.787 *
ESC	0.344	0.040	0.137	0.820 *
FAN	0.532	0.401	0.249	0.199	0.868 *
LN	0.475	0.437	0.387	0.331	0.530	0.890 *
PBC	0.309	0.279	0.204	0.232	0.331	0.401	0.855 *
PI	0.213	0.378	0.182	0.156	0.397	0.396	0.355	0.833 *
SN	0.221	0.348	0.299	0.190	0.231	0.366	0.390	0.380	0.848 *

Noted: * The numbers in the diagonal row are square roots of the average variance extracted.

confirms the satisfactory level of discriminant validity.

To sum up, the convergence validity should be supported by CR and AVE, and the discriminate validity must examine AVE and the square of construct correlations. The previous tests confirmed the relative indication, and all had beyond the proposed value.

4.3. Structural Model Evaluation

4.3.1. Direct Effect

Table 5. Direct paths.

	Direct Paths	Path Coefficient	SD	t-Value	p Value	Hypotheses
H1	EV -> ATT	0.316	0.066	4.767	0.000 ***	Accepted
H2	EV -> SN	0.350	0.057	6.103	0.000 ***	Accepted
H3	EV -> PBC	0.420	0.066	6.383	0.000 ***	Accepted
H4	EK -> ATT	0.085	0.069	1.233	0.218	Rejected
H5	EK -> PBC	0.047	0.068	0.690	0.491	Rejected
H6	ATT -> PI	0.240	0.073	3.305	0.001 **	Accepted
H7	SN -> PI	0.216	0.073	2.976	0.003 **	Accepted
H8	SN -> ATT	0.215	0.066	3.275	0.001 **	Accepted
H9	PBC -> PI	0.204	0.069	2.947	0.003 **	Accepted

Noted: ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001.

displays the corresponding effects amongst the direct relationship in the conceptual model, including path coefficient, t-values, p-values, and confidence intervals.

As expected, the path coefficient between EV and green purchase attitude (ATT) was a positive value of 0.316, which was significant at less than 0.001. That is, the statistics had positive and significant effects. Therefore, H1 was accepted.

EV had a positive relationship with SN (β = 0.350, p < 0.001) and PBC (β = 0.420, p < 0.001). Thus, H1–H3 were supported in this research.

Of the three TPB predictor variables, EK (β = 0.085, p = 0.218) via ATT had no statistically significant effect. Hence, H4 was rejected. Similarly, EK via PBC (β = 0.047, p = 0.491) was not supported in the direct path. Therefore, H4 and H5 were also rejected in this research.

The purchase intention of green tourism product (PI) was predicted by ATT (β = 0.240, p = 0.001), SN (β = 0.215, p = 0.001), and PBC (β = 0.204, p = 0.003); all these statistics supported H6, H7, and H9, respectively. SN (β = 0.215, p = 0.001) had a positive and significant effect on ATT. Therefore, H8 was supported.

In this regard, except for H4 and H5, all the hypotheses were supported.

4.3.2. Mediating Effect

The mediation analysis was determined in this research. By performing a mediating or moderating examination, we were able to investigate the direct and indirect interactions.

Table 6. Specific indirect paths.

Variables	Path Coefficient	SD	t-Value	p-Value	Mediation Role
EV -> ATT -> PI	0.076	0.032	2.365	0.018 *	Supported
EV -> SN -> PI	0.076	0.030	2.536	0.012 *	Supported
EV -> PBC -> PI	0.086	0.035	2.488	0.013 *	Supported
EV -> SN -> ATT	0.075	0.027	2.816	0.005 **	Supported
SN -> ATT -> PI	0.052	0.021	2.492	0.013 *	Supported

Noted: * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01.

provides the supported mediation role via ATT, PBC, and SN.

Accordingly, EV had a positive, indirect impact on PI mediated by ATT (β = 0.076, p < 0.05), SN (β = 0.076, p < 0.05), and PBC (β = 0.086, p < 0.05). SN mediated the relationship between EV and ATT (β = 0.075, p < 0.001). A positive, indirect impact on PI and SN, mediated by ATT (β = 0.052, p < 0.05), was also observed.

The study aimed to examine tourists’ PI in a specific tourism activity scenario. The extended TPB, in which two additional variables, EV and EK, are provided as antecedents of ATT, PBC, and SN, was utilised. The focal country was China, which has a long history of traditional natural dyes and represents the ideal site of community ecotourism activity of the case study. The result suggested that consumer purchase intention can be triggered by EV, ATT, PBC, and SN.

4.3.3. The Series of Influence of Tourist’s EK and EV Variables Affect Green Purchase Behaviour

Ahmad et al. (2020) pointed out that personal value shapes moral choice in the ecotourism field, and it positively relates to TPB anchors. EV (investigated from attaining, learning, escapism, and fantasy aspects) was found to be significant and positive for ATT in this study, which was supported by the findings of Hultman et al. [33]. Different from previous research, this work was activity-based, which means that the higher the EV and EK obtained, the more likely visitors will show a positive ATT. The mediators (ATT, SN, and PBC) successfully mediated EV and PI. In previous studies, most researchers pointed to the unique collectivist nature of China, which exhibits the tendency of making their own decisions that society approves [10,65]. To some extent, it confirms the word-of-mouth (WOM) power in collectivist culture. Therefore, WOM strategies can apply to tourists’ PI as well.

4.3.4. The Effectiveness between ATT, PBC, SN, and Green Purchase Behaviour

Beyond that, ATT, SN, and PBC were found to have positive and significant influences on PI, which is also confirmed by the findings of Maichum et al. [17]. The suggested effects of SN and ATT were also supported.

In view of the particularity of the all-in-one scenario basis, which can systematically embody visitors and their familiar attendants from experiencing programmes to subsequent psychological activities of green purchase, this research examined the linkages of SN and purchase attitude. In previous study, most researchers point to the unique collectivist nature of China, which exhibits tendencies towards making decisions that society approves of [10,65]. To some extent, it confirms the word of mouth (WOM) power in collectivist culture. The outcome of this study presents that EV has a significant and positive influence on PBC and SN. In practice, it is critical to use word of mouth marketing (WOM) and establish the social belief of visitors.

4.3.5. The Acceptability of EK Acquired by Tourists Participating in Green Tourism Activities

Unlike past research [17,66], the EK of chemical pollution in dyeing and finishing does not provide a positive thrust concerning ATT and PBC. Another factor that should be noticed is that in this model, no intermediary variable successfully linked to EK and other latent variables. This phenomenon indicates that for the mass market in China, green market campaigns may not occupy the dominant positions towards tourists’ WTPP in commercial workshops. Hon and Kang (2019) implied the positive linkage of strong moral intensity and female consumers on purchasing green products. Roberts (1997) verified the clue on EK and consumers’ green purchase for necessities in daily life. The former research implied that green marketing has group discrepancy, whereas the latter result confirmed that green marketing can make people aware of purchasing green necessities. However, in the commercial attributes of natural dye workshops, green products are normally present as souvenirs, which largely contribute to tourists’ memories of their trip experience, product uniqueness, or usability and functionality [5]. Without any information guideline, a person who has EK awareness to purchase a product in a tourism commercial workshop is more about memorialising, being functionally based as opposed to on the level of protecting the environment.

5. Conclusions

This study employs experience value and environmental knowledge as two key constructs in the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) in order to examine a specific tourism activity scenario with regard to tourism green purchase intention. Although TPB is considered to be the best model for predicting intention, some scholars still recommended that some influencing should be considered, for instance, motivating factors, value, and moral triggers [17]. Ultimately, the extended TPB framework seeks to find an answer of the substantial influences of EV and ATT, SN, and PBC on PI. On the basis of the objective of this study, we used nine hypotheses to examine EK and EV effects on consumers’ purchase intention of green tourism products, internal relations among three TPB variables and consumers’ willingness to pay for green tourism products, and acceptability of environmental knowledge acquired by tourists participating in green tourism activities. Along with previous results, this research provides several implications.

The empirical result of this study demonstrated the positive and significant impact relearnt on EV and three TPB variables, which can also mediate EV and PI. Changing perspectives, EV can boost green tourism product consumption. In this regard, stakeholders can create a homey atmosphere, forming visiting desire to improve visitors’ attainment, learning, escapism, and fantasy.

In this study, visitors’ EK was found to have an insignificant path on ATT. One possible explanation is that green marketing is still in a nascent stage in China. Green tourism products are given different characteristics, for instance, natural, original, handmade, and monumental, in order to attract visitors. In ecotourism propaganda, the Chinese government and local communities can strengthen green publicity, arousing tourists’ awareness of purchasing green tourism products. Educating participants matters. This study involves EK in chemical dyeing processing. According to the evidence obtained, this can be the cognitive deficits of visitors who participated in natural dyeing activities.

For green tourism product designers, green tourism products should primarily consider quality, product design, and sustainability. In this research, no linkage was found between EK and PBC. Hence, visitors tend to consider and evaluate product value from various aspects and eventually purchase cost-effective products.

This study also demonstrates the power of collectivism, which presents WTPP prices that are companion-supported. Note that the consumption intention in a community is greatly supported by surrounding opinions. In practice, utilising WOM strategies and establishing social beliefs for sustainable actions are critical.

China has abundant natural resources, rich attractions, and geographic and cultural advantages to facilitate green tourism. China also has thousands of tourist villages, with 55 sites having been registered in the list of World Heritage Sites by the United National Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation [67]. Chinese tourists’ expenditure is the highest in the world since the beginning of the 21st century [68,69]. An increasing number of people are capable of external travel, and they have the ability and will to afford higher expansions of travel services and products. According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China (2019), the number of domestic tourists grew nearly three times (6006 million domestic tourists in 2019 compared with 2103 million domestic tourists in 2010), and domestic tourism expenditure grew over the past decade by five times (RMB 57,250.9 hundred million in 2019 compared with RMB 12,579.8 hundred million in 2010, which are equivalent to approximately USD 8470 hundred million and USD 1865 million, respectively). Utilising resources to optimise green tourism programmes, tourism exploitation transforms natural resource advantages into economic advantages and is likely to bring about diversity of green tourism activities in order to attract the niche market and tourism competitiveness.

This study has several limitation and further directions. To begin with, data collections in the study was in the period of COVID-19. The pandemic impact, leading to worldwide economic downturn and travel restrictions, impeded the tourism industry. Although China has overcome the arising obstacles and COVID-19 was contained within China, in consideration of economic factors and hygienic risks, post-pandemic travel to some extent affected investigators judgement of travel experience, travel consumption, and decision-making.

What is more important, through random sampling, demographic statistics were slanted towards the female and young age group. However, owing to the limit of data, demographic bias was not examined in this study. Future research can examine profile differences, such as gender, age, and education level. For instance, does purchase intention of a senior group have a diametrically opposite result? Do they offer different criteria toward experience value on ecotourism activities?

Last but not least, in this quantitative study, although screening questions were applied online to obtain valid data, they were not as accurate as the data collected at destinations. After all, tourist participation has time effects and uncertainties; with the passage of time, visiting tourists who have participated in the travel experience may restore the purchase intention from mentality to sanity. In addition, the actual visiting site to the natural dyeing activity experience was unclear. This article is available for the green tourism department to refer to, but not an optimisation on locality. It may be more representative on a typical region, along with questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and observation methods, which can propose specific and representative issues for reference.