Tourism participants’ preference for high-speed rail: The role of pro-environmental behaviour
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| Year of publication | 2022 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | Study on consumer behaviour in tourism often deals with the decision-making process of tourists when choosing a holiday destination (e.g., Pagliara et al., 2015; Gutiérrez et al., 2019). The choice of transport mode is an integral part of this process because the essence of tourism lies precisely in the movement of people in time and space and the connection of the residence place of tourists with the destination (Decrop & Snelders, 2005). Choosing more environmentally friendly modes of transport can help address climate change issues and promote sustainable development of tourism. In the context of sustainable mobility, the potential of the construction of a high-speed rail (HSR) and its effects on the sustainable development and competitiveness of regional economies are often discussed. This topic is also relevant for the Czech Republic where the construction of HSR is intended. To evaluate the potential of HSR in tourism, it is necessary to know the mobility behaviour of the tourists and their willingness to use HSR. Our research aims to reveal the factors which determine the willingness of the tourists to use HSR. In particular, it discusses the role of pro-environmental attitudes of the tourists and their previous experience with transport modes. The research design is based on findings from the scientific literature review on the impact of current mobility patterns and travel behaviour. In the proposed model, we assume the decisive role of previous experience with the use of a mode of transport for the choice of HSR. Therefore, it analyses the links between the various transport modes and the willingness to switch to high-speed rail on tourist-oriented journeys. Subsequently, we examine the influence of environmental attitudes and the tourists’ personality profiles on the strength of these links. Data for the analysis were obtained through a questionnaire survey in the three largest cities in the Czech Republic (i.e., Praha, Brno, Ostrava). These cities represent the key hubs in the planned HSR. The survey focused on tourism participants in the tourist-exposed localities of these cities. The sample of 1,800 respondents was selected using a combination of random and quota sampling. The quota was applied to the length of stay and nationality. The questions on the environmental attitude of the respondents were included. Using Kruskal-Wallis Test and subsequent contingency analyses, a strong link was identified between tourists arriving by train and their willingness to use HSR. Pro-environmental attitudes led to a strong preference for HSR. Similarly, the time spent on the journey and its purpose (e.g., business trip) affected the willingness to switch to high-speed rail. |
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