The influence of the carbon neutrality goal on tourists’ low-carbon tourism behavior intention in space tourism

Abstract

China’s carbon neutrality goals and the emergence of the space tourism industry have raised increasing environmental concerns. Fostering the awareness of low-carbon practices is vital for industry sustainability and enhanced competitiveness. The existing literature underscores how state policies, such as the dual carbon goal, which aims to peak carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, drive motivations to go green, shaping public intentions toward low-carbon travel. The contemporary focus is on various dual carbon factors influencing low-carbon tourism, although research on motivations, awareness, and behavioral intentions in space remains limited. To address this gap, this study aims to evaluate how the carbon neutrality goal impacts low-carbon tourism motivation, awareness, and behavioral intentions based on the event system theory. The study employed quantitative methods and examined the constructs and causality of low-carbon tourism. After performing a literature review, we constructed a research model to explore the relationship between low-carbon space tourism and behavioral intentions with mediation constructs of carbon neutrality goal, motivation, and awareness. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and MPLUS were employed in data analysis. The data were analyzed using SPSS and MPLUS software, and various mathematical and statistical methods such as reliability analysis, validity analysis, factor analysis, correlation analysis, common method variance analysis, and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the survey data. Findings suggest positive effects of the carbon neutrality goal, low-carbon travel motivation (LCM), and low-carbon tourism awareness (LCA) among tourists. The present study affirms the influential role of the carbon neutrality goal in space tourism and the mediating effects of LCM and LCA in positively affecting sustainable space tourism intention. This study also suggests that cooperation among governmental entities, tourism authorities, businesses, and tourists is vital to advancing sustainable space tourism practices.

Keywords

Space tourism / Carbon neutrality goal / Motivation / Awareness / Behavioral intention