EN中文

Journal of Resources and Ecology >

2025 , Vol. 16 >Issue 4: 1196 - 1206

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5814/j.issn.1674-764x.2025.04.022

Special Column: Ecotourism and Rural Revitalization

Does the Environmental Fit of Tourists in Agricultural Heritage Sites Promote Pro-environmental Behavior?—Exploring the Mediating Role of Place Attachment

  • DONG Fengli ,
  • GUO Yanli ,
  • CHENG Diexiang ,
  • GU Xiaoping , *
Expand
  • School of Economics and Management, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110065, China
*GU Xiaoping, E-mail:

DONG Fengli, E-mail:

Received date: 2024-09-20

  Accepted date: 2025-01-10

  Online published: 2025-08-05

Supported by

The Liaoning Provincial Department of Education Fund Project(WSNZK201903)

The Key Project of National Social Science Fund of China(17ATY015)

The General Project of the Fund of Education Department of Liaoning Province(JYTMS20231311)

The Key Project of Shenyang Social Sciences Association(SYSK2024-JD-01)

Fold

Abstract

Agricultural heritage tourism resources, represented by ecological vulnerability and cultural sensitivity, require careful stewardship. Tourists’ environmentally responsible actions are vital for preserving both the natural and cultural environment of these destinations, ensuring their sustainability. According to “cognition-emotion-behavior theory” and the hierarchy model of tourism experience, this study constructs a conceptual model between tourists’ environmental fit, place attachment and pro-environmental behavior. Structural equation modeling and the Bootstrap method are employed for empirical testing. Results indicate that: (1) Function fit has a significant positive effect on tourists’ pro-environmental behaviors. (2) Service fit also has a significant positive effect on tourists’ pro-environmental behaviors. (3) Place attachment mediates the relationship between environmental fit and pro-environmental behaviors. Therefore, recommendations are offered for managing agricultural heritage tourism destinations to cultivate tourists’ sense of functional fit and service fit and to strengthen their place attachment.

Key words： agricultural cultural heritage tourist destination; environmental fit; pro-environmental behavior; place attachment

Cite this article

DONG Fengli , GUO Yanli , CHENG Diexiang , GU Xiaoping . Does the Environmental Fit of Tourists in Agricultural Heritage Sites Promote Pro-environmental Behavior?—Exploring the Mediating Role of Place Attachment[J]. Journal of Resources and Ecology, 2025 , 16(4) : 1196 -1206 . DOI: 10.5814/j.issn.1674-764x.2025.04.022

1 Introduction

Agricultural heritage represents a valuable legacy cultivated over centuries. Its ecological fragility and cultural sensitivity necessitate effective preservation strategies. Integrating agricultural heritage with tourism offers a means of revitalizing and safeguarding this legacy. Nevertheless, certain tourist behaviors, such as indiscriminately picking flowers and fruits, littering, and disrupting the lives of local residents, negatively affect the local environment. These actions not only harm the ecological balance but also hinder the transmission of agricultural traditions. Therefore, understanding how to encourage environmentally responsible behavior among tourists at agricultural heritage sites becomes a critical research objective. A variety of factors influence tourists’ environmental conduct at these destinations. Existing literature has analyzed the role of environmental education (Li et al., 2020), nature empathy (Dang et al., 2021) and awe (Peng et al., 2025) among other factors. However, assessing how the compatibility between tourists and agricultural heritage destinations influences tourists’ pro-environmental behavior presents a novel perspective.
A review of the existing literature demonstrates that certain achievements have been accomplished in agricultural heritage (Su, 2013; Yao et al., 2023; Dong et al., 2024; Guo et al., 2024), tourist-environment fit (Chen et al., 2019; Sun and Xu, 2022; Liu et al., 2024), place attachment (Qu and Zhang, 2021; Zhang and Xu, 2023), and pro-environmental behavior (Li et al., 2020; Dang et al., 2021; Gao et al., 2021; Yang et al., 2023), yet significant avenues for exploration remain. While scholars have studied the relationships among tourist-environment fit, place attachment and pro-environmental behavior, a consensus on the relationship between environmental fit and pro-environmental behavior has not been achieved (Cheng et al., 2021; Ren et al., 2021; Lin et al., 2023); further analysis of this relationship is necessary. Similarly, the mediating role of place attachment in this relationship requires more rigorous validation to determine its existence and extent (Cai and Zhu, 2021; Zhou et al., 2024). Moreover, research should be conducted based on the specific case study site. The scholarly domains discussed vary in their focus and scope. Agricultural heritage scenic spots focus on showcasing agricultural history, agricultural civilization, traditional agricultural culture, and rural lifestyles, necessitating research that is situated in the realities of agricultural heritage tourism destinations.
Acknowledging that the developmental stage of scenic areas varies, the environmental fit of tourists also differs across locations. To maintain a focused research scope, this study selects a representative scenic area as its research site. Taking the Anshan Nanguo Pear cultivation system as an example, the study focuses on the birthplace of the Nanguo Pear—The Duizhuangshi Scenic Spot. This study explores the mechanism of tourist-environment fit in this agricultural cultural heritage tourism destination and appraise how this fit influences tourists’ pro-environmental behaviors in such destinations. The goal is to identify the key factors affecting tourists’ pro-environmental behaviors to inform strategies that encourage such behaviors and facilitate the sustainable development of agricultural cultural heritage tourism destinations.

2 Theoretical background and research hypothesis

This study develops research hypotheses drawing upon the cognition-emotion-behavior theory, the hierarchy model of tourism experience and relevant studies.

2.1 Theoretical basis

2.1.1 The cognition-emotion-behavior theory

This theory hypothesizes that cognitive and emotional experience are the two factors determining behavioral intention. Cognition is an individual’s opinions or beliefs about specific things and relates to their perception and assessment of those things. Emotion constitutes an individual’s affective experience arising from cognition. Behavioral intention describes an individual’s behavioral tendency to make decisions based on cognition and emotion (Hirschman and Holbrook, 1986). Later researchers, working in the cognition-emotion-behavior theory, have chosen variables to study the relationships among these three elements (Qu and Zhang, 2021; Xu and Li, 2022). During tourism, tourists assess the compatibility between themselves and the environment of the tourist destination, thus developing a perception of environmental fit. This positive perception cultivates an emotional connection between tourists and destinations, resulting in place attachment. In the “cognition-emotion-behavior” theory, cognition and emotion experience are prerequisites for behavioral intention. A tourist’s perceived environmental fit and sense of place attachment encourage pro-environmental behavior.

2.1.2 The hierarchy model of tourism experience

According to the consciousness map, tourism experience can be classified into five levels based on the depth of consciousness: sensory experience, cognitive experience, emotional experience, regression experience and spiritual experience (Long and Lu, 2009). This study focuses on cognitive experience, emotional experience and regression experience. Tourists invariably receive and interpret external information through their senses before and during travel. Then, they evaluate this perceived information based on their knowledge and experience, developing an understanding of their compatibility with the destination, thus establishing a degree of environment fit. As their emotional awareness intensifies, tourists cultivate a deeper emotional and regression experience in the destination of place attachment.

2.2 Research hypothesis

2.2.1 The relationship between tourists’ environmental fit and pro-environmental behaviors

Some scholars pioneered the application of human-environment fit in tourism environment research, defining it as the consistency between environmental provisions and tourist needs, or the alignment of values between tourists and environmental managers (Tsaur et al., 2012). Drawing upon attention restoration theory and availability theory, they conceptualized tourism environment fit across three dimensions: 1) Supply-demand fit; 2) Skill-requirement fit; 3) Supplementary fit. These dimensions were further divided through six specific factors: natural resources, interpersonal opportunities, environmental functions, facility activities, knowledge and skills, and operation management. Later studies on environmental fit largely based on Tsaur et al. (2012), have consistently demonstrated its positive relationship with recreational enjoyment (Liang and Peng, 2019), recreation satisfaction (Chen et al., 2019) and subjective well-being (Sun and Xu, 2022), tourists environmentally responsible behavior (Cai and Zhu, 2021). Considering the specific pile scenic spot, tourist interpersonal communication concerning Nanguo Pear related topics reflects an understanding of agricultural heritage content. Therefore, for factor categorization, knowledge and skills are integrated to constitute skills fit. Activity facilities are developed to address tourist needs. As elements of scenic services, both the poetry competition held in Duizhuangshi Scenic Spot and the integration of Nanguo Pear elements in the infrastructure can spread the Nanguo Pear culture to tourists. Therefore, activity facilities and operations management are combined and categorized as service fit. In summary, this study proposes a reclassified classification of environment fit including resource fit, skill fit, function fit and service fit.
Cognitive factor, as hypothesized by the cognition-emotion-behavior theory, play a crucial role on affecting behavior. In terms of cognition, environment fit describes the perceived consistency between tourists and destinations across multiple dimensions. A strong tourist environment fit cultivates positive emotional experience (Liu et al., 2024), which are, accordingly, positively correlated with environmentally responsible behavior (Chen and Huang, 2022). These positive emotions influence such behaviors through mechanisms such as place identification. Therefore, it is reasonable to suggest that tourists’ environment fit can affect tourists’ pro-environmental behavior. This relationship has been empirically supported, which demonstrated a significant positive correlation between tourist-environment fit and environmentally responsibility behavior (Cai and Zhu, 2021). In this study, managerial values and environmental provisions are key differentiating factors. When tourists perceive the resources and services offered by a destination favorably, their willing to engage in environmental protection increases. And the knowledge and skills tourists have acquired can facilitate their understanding of the destination, allowing them to appreciate the unique characteristics of agricultural heritage sites, and finally encouraging environmentally responsible actions. From this, the following hypotheses are proposed:
H1: Environmental fit positively and significantly affects tourists’ pro-environmental behavior.
H1a: Resource fit positively and significantly affects tourists’ pro-environmental behavior.
H1b: Skill fit positively and significantly affects tourists’ pro-environmental behavior.
H1c: Function fit positively and significantly affects tourists’ pro-environmental behavior.
H1d: Service fit positively and significantly affects tourists’ pro-environmental behavior.

2.2.2 The relationship between environmental fit and place attachment

Place attachment is the emotional connection between a person and a particular place (Qu et al., 2024). During travel, tourists inevitably encounter the people and environment of a destination, forging connections through mutual influence and interaction, forming place attachment. The theory of hierarchical experience hypothesizes that cognitive experience, emotional experience and regression experience represent progressively increasing levels of engagement. Cognitive experience forms the foundation for both affective and reflective experiences at the level of conscious awareness. When a high degree of compatibility exists between tourists and a destination, tourists are more likely to develop an emotional connection with that destination, thereby forming place attachment. Some scholars evaluated the influence mechanism of environment fit on tourists’ subjective well- being, which proved that environment fit has a significant positive effect on place attachment (Sun and Xu, 2022). Social, natural, and physical elements in the tourist experience setting can positively affect tourists’ sense of place identity (Zhang and Xu, 2023). The fulfillment of tourist demands by the resources and functionality of a destination can contribute to tourist attachment to that destination. Tourists’ skills and knowledge enable them to develop a deeper understanding of the destination and become more immersed in tourism activities, thus strengthening the connection between tourists and the destination. The services offered at a destination reflect the values of its management. While meeting tourists’ needs, these services also convey the management’s value orientation. This resonance of values is reflected in tourists’ identification with and reliance upon the destination. Based on this analysis, the following hypotheses are proposed:
H2: Environmental fit positively and significantly affects tourists’ place attachment.
H2a: Resource fit positively and significantly affects tourists’ place attachment.
H2b: Skill fit positively and significantly affects tourists’ place attachment.
H2c: Function fit positively and significantly affects tourists’ place attachment.
H2d: Service fit positively and significantly affects tourists’ place attachment.

2.2.3 The relationship between place attachment and tourists’ pro-environmental behavior

Pro-environmental behavior refers to actions individuals consciously undertake to address environmental problems, motivated by a sense of responsibility and values (Hines et al., 1987). Related concepts include environmental responsibility behaviors (Chen et al., 2024a) and environmental protection behaviors (He et al., 2023). The concept of tourists’ pro-environmental behavior has evolved to include both broad and narrow interpretations. In its narrow sense, it focuses on protecting the natural environment of tourist destinations. From a broader research perspective, the definition has expanded to include actions that benefit both natural and human environments. In terms of measuring tourists’ pro- environmental behaviors and their environmental responsibility behaviors, many scholars have set natural and humanistic items. Some scholars have included not only the natural ecological environment but also the protection of food culture and traditional cuisine in the measurement of tourists’ responsibility behaviors (Su et al., 2020). There are also scholars who have classified the conservation behaviors of study-travel tourists into consumption promotion, cultural compliance, persuasion and ecological compliance types (Yao et al., 2023). Tourists’ environmentally friendly behaviors not only involve protecting the destination’s ecological environment but also include non-material elements (Gao et al., 2021). Specifically, tourists should minimize the negative environmental effect of their actions during travel while adopting behaviors that benefit the environment, such as respecting local culture, observing tourist codes of conduct, and reducing the overall impact of their activities. Agricultural heritage emphasizes the co-evolution of man and nature, as evidenced by the unique natural and human resources formed by local residents and farming systems in agricultural heritage sites. To gain a deeper understanding of tourists’ pro-environmental behaviors in these sites, this study adopts a generalized definition of pro-environmental behaviors.
The “cognition-emotion-behavior” theory hypothesizes that emotional factors play a role in affecting behavior, and that tourists’ attachment to a destination influences their environmental actions in that locale. In the analysis of pro-environmental behaviors and their associated mechanisms, several scholars have emphasized the need to incorporate the emotional dimension into pro-environmental behavior models. They propose that research on place attachment should integrate both tourists’ emotional perspectives and the characteristics of destinations (Yang et al., 2023). Furthermore, other researchers have assessed the mediating role of local attachment among hikers, examining its impact on environmental attitudes and pro-environmental behaviors both within and outside protected areas (Yoon et al., 2024). Their research indicated a correlation between local identity and pro-environmental behaviors among tourists in protected areas, and further identified place dependence as a significant precursor to pro-environmental behaviors for tourists both inside and outside these designated zones. The work of Yang et al also confirmed the positive relationship between place attachment and tourists’ pro-environmental behaviors (Wu et al., 2024; Yang et al., 2024). Considering these research results of relevant scholars, the following hypothesis is proposed:
H3: Place attachment positively and significantly affects tourists’ pro-environmental behavior.

2.2.4 The mediating effect of place attachment

The existing research suggests a correlation between tourists’ sense of identity and belonging to a destination and their tendency to engage in environmentally responsible actions, thereby contributing to the destination’s sustainable development (Huo et al., 2023). Research by scholars analyzed the timeline of tourists’ place attachment formation, indicates that pre-visit experiences and stronger place attachment correlate with a greater likelihood to implement environmental protection behaviors (Li et al., 2023). Nevertheless, the factors influencing tourists’ place attachment and pro- environmental behavior are not uniform, due primarily to two factors: inconsistencies in tourists’ experience quality (Zhang et al., 2024), and the effect of tourists’ individual ecological values (Chen et al., 2024b). Cognition-emotion- behavior theory hypothesizes that cognitive and emotional experience are the two primary drivers of behavioral intention. However, the environmental fit of a tourists’ cognitive experience does not necessarily have a direct impact on pro-environmental behavior, rather, it influences such behavior indirectly through the mediating effect of place attachment on affective experience. By assessing the pathways influencing tourists’ pro-environmental behaviors at Wulingyuan Scenic Spot, a World Natural Heritage site, the study confirms that place attachment mediates the relationship between environmental fit and pro-environmental behaviors (Cheng et al., 2021) Drawing on self-regulatory attitude theory, analyzed the effect of tourists’ environmental fit on their environmental responsibility behavior (Cai and Zhu, 2021). Their study also confirmed the significant mediating role of place attachment in the relationship between environmental fit and tourists’ environmentally responsible actions. Based on these existing studies, the following hypotheses are proposed:
H4: Place attachment mediates the relationship between environmental fit and pro-environmental behavior.
H4a: Place attachment plays a mediating role in the effect of resource fit on pro-environmental behavior.
H4b: Place attachment plays a mediating role in the effect of skill fit on pro-environmental behavior.
H4c: Place attachment plays a mediating role in the effect of functional fit on pro-environmental behavior.
H4d: Place attachment plays a mediating role in the effect of service fit on pro-environmental behavior.
Based on the above analyses, a conceptual model illustrating how tourists’ environmental fit influences pro-environmental behavior in agricultural heritage tourism destinations has been developed, as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1 Research conceptual model

3 Research methodology

This research methodology draws upon existing literature and the realities of agricultural heritage tourism destinations, including case site selection, questionnaire development, and data collection and analysis.

3.1 Study area

Duizhuangshi Scenic Spot is chosen as the case site due to its significance as the birthplace of the Nanguo Pear, notably housing the original Nanguo Pear trees. Situated in Dagushan Town, Qianshan District, southeast of Anshan City, Duizhuangshi’s claim is confirmed by “Chinese Fruit Tree Records Volume 3”, which identifies this location as the origin of the Nanguo Pear’s mother plant. In 1986, experts from the Chinese Fruit Tree Research Institute officially recognized this tree as the ancestral tree of the Nanguo Pear. Documented for over 150 years, it represents the sole surviving Nanguo Pear tree grown from a natural hybrid seedling (Su, 2013). Officially designated the “Nanguo Pear ancestor tree”, it constitutes a key tourism resource for the Duizhuangshi Scenic Spot. The Nanguo Pear cultivation system, developed through the cultivation of the Nanguo Pear, was included in the first group of China’s Important Agricultural Cultural Heritage sites in 2013. Therefore, the Duizhuangshi Scenic Spot has become a significant site for agricultural heritage tourism site, currently in its preliminary development stage.

3.2 Questionnaire design and data collection

The questionnaire comprised two sections. The first section gathered demographic information, including the gender, age, education level, average monthly income and the number of visits in a year. The second section measured three variables: environment fit, place attachment and pro-environmental behavior. Responses for this section were recorded utilizing a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from “1” to “5” representing “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree”.
Items comprising these variables were developed based on a review of relevant literature concerning environmental fit (Chen et al., 2019; Cai and Zhu, 2021; Cheng et al., 2021; Sun and Xu, 2022; Liu et al., 2024), place attachment (Sun and Xu, 2022; Liang et al., 2023; Chen et al., 2024b), and tourists’ pro-environmental behavior (Cai and Zhu, 2021; Cheng et al., 2021; Yao et al., 2023). Established scales from these studies were adapted and optimized to suit the specific situation of the Anshan Nanguo Pear agricultural heritage tourism site, deriving a consolidated index system measuring environmental fit, place attachment and pro-environmental behavior among tourists at this rural heritage site.
Formal data collection took place at Duizhuangshi Scenic Spot in early May 2024, deriving 369 questionnaires. Five questionnaires with incomplete responses and 23 identified as invalid were removed, resulting in a final dataset of 346 valid responses, representing an effective response rate of approximately 94%.

3.3 Data processing

Empirical analysis employed a structural equation model. Descriptive analyses, normality tests, reliability and validity tests, and influence relationship tests were conducted utilizing SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 29.0 software. The mediating role of place attachment in the relationship between environmental fit and pro-environmental behavior was analyzed utilizing bootstrapping procedures in AMOS 29.0.

4 Results and analysis

4.1 Descriptive statistics of samples

The characteristics of the tourist sample are as follows, as shown in Table 1. The sample exhibited a relatively balanced gender distribution. Young and middle-aged tourists comprised a large proportion of the samples. Educational attainment was generally high, with a number of college or university graduates. The sample was represented by a higher proportion of middle-income individuals. Most visitors reported frequencies exceeding one visit per year, indicating a high degree of repeat visitation.
Table 1 Interviewee basic information
Item Content Frequency Percentage (%)
Gender Male 166 47.98
Female 180 52.02


Age
(yr)


 0-20 15 4.33
21-35 103 29.77
36-50 105 30.35
51-65 80 23.12
66 and older 43 12.43
Education level Primary school and below 13 3.75
Junior high 66 19.08
High school (including vocational high schools and technical
secondary schools)		 76 21.97
College or university degree 155 44.80
Master’s degree or above 36 10.40
Average monthly income
(yuan)		 Less than 2000 69 19.94
2001-4000 106 30.64
4001-6000 91 26.30
6001-8000 41 11.85
More than 8000 39 11.27
Number of visits in one year 1 time 145 41.91
2 or more times 201 58.09

4.2 Normality test

Normality tests conducted on the questionnaire data indicated that the absolute values of skewness of all measurement items ranged from 0.071 to 0.763 (absolute value of skewness less than 3), while absolute values of kurtosis ranged from 0.011 to 1.145 (absolute value of kurtosis is less than 7). Absolute values of the mean ranged from 3.86 to 4.22, and absolute values of the standard deviation ranged from 0.696 to 0.822. These data satisfied the critical values for a normal distribution.

4.3 Reliability and validity test

Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) and Bartlett’s tests of sphericity were performed. KMO values for resource fit, skill fit, functional fit, service fit, place attachment and pro-environmental behavior were 0.801, 0.802, 0.835, 0.862, 0.912 and 0.926, respectively. All KMO values exceeded 0.8, and Bartlett’s test of sphericity reached significance indicating the suitability of the data for factor analysis.
As presented in Table 2, reliability and validity testing indicated strong internal consistency for the scale, with all Cronbach’s α values greater than 0.7. Composite reliability (CR) for all dimensions also exceeded 0.7, and average variance extracted (AVE) values were all greater than 0.5, demonstrating good convergence validity for the measurement model. Discriminant validity, as reported in Table 3 was confirmed, as the correlation coefficient for each dimension was less than the square root of the corresponding AVE value, indicating good discriminant validity for the questionnaire.
Table 2 Scale reliability and convergence validity test
Variable Measurement item Factor loading Cronbach’s α CR AVE

Resource fit (RF)		 Pieces of Nanguo Pear flowers are suitable for taking photos and clocking in 0.671 0.812 0.813 0.522
I can see the original Nanguo Pear ancestral tree 0.724
Here I can learn the mysterious story of the ancestral tree 0.714
Here I can learn the rich meaning of Nanguo Pear culture 0.776
Skill fit (SF) I know the specialty here is Nanguo Pears 0.794 0.821 0.823 0.539
I know when the Nanguo Pears bloom 0.718
I can communicate with others about Nanguo Pear and other related topics 0.740
I have enough knowledge to interpret the natural and human resources of the scenic spot 0.679
Function fit (FF) It can be known from the inscription that Anshan Nanguo Pear cultivation system is an agricultural cultural heritage 0.736


0.849


0.851


0.535


Knowing the inscription has improved my awareness of protection 0.773
The ancestral tree lets me know that this is the source of Nanguo Pear 0.748
The introduction of the ancestral garden can know the characteristics of the ancestral tree 0.757
Here can see Anshan Nanguo Pear farming process, increase knowledge 0.635
Service fit (SF1) Environmental protection broadcasting in scenic spots is in place 0.712

0.849

0.849

0.531



I agree with the management's protection of Nanguo Pear’s ancestral tree 0.662
Local special activities can carry on the culture 0.746
The local service can reflect the cultural characteristics of Nanguo Pear 0.747
The infrastructure setting incorporates elements of Nanguo Pear culture 0.770
Place attachment (PA) I strongly identify with Nanguo Pear culture 0.743



0.888



0.889



0.533



I strongly identify with the local customs and practices 0.725
I feel like a part of this place 0.746
I feel a sense of belonging to the good environment here 0.715
I like coming here more than any other place 0.687
If you want to know Nanguo Pear ancestral tree, this is the only place 0.745
Here’s the best place to learn about Nanguo Pear 0.747
Pro-environmental behavior (PEB) I do not arbitrarily pick Nanguo Pear flowers, fruit 0.725





0.893





0.893





0.510




I care about the development of the natural environment in scenic spots 0.731
I can persuade or stop others from doing things that destroy the natural environment 0.675
I will properly dispose of the garbage generated during the travel process 0.686
I do not interfere with the daily life of local residents 0.753
I respect local customs 0.721
I took the initiative to participate in Nanguo Pear farming activities to understand the use of farming tools 0.745
I tell other people about the story of Nanguo Pear history 0.672
Table 3 Scale discriminative validity test
Variable RF SF FF SF1 PA PEB
RF 0.722
SF 0.658*** 0.734
FF 0.684*** 0.698*** 0.731
SF1 0.653*** 0.583*** 0.645*** 0.729
PA 0.676*** 0.697*** 0.699*** 0.643*** 0.730
PEB 0.580*** 0.567*** 0.648*** 0.666*** 0.706*** 0.714

Note: ***, **, * are denoted as statistical significance at 0.01, 0.05, 0.1, respectively. The same below.

4.4 The influence mechanism of EF and PA on PEB

4.4.1 Model goodness of fit test

The fit indices of the main effect model are presented in Table 4. All indices satisfy the required criteria, indicating a good model fit suitable for further analysis.
Table 4 The model fitting degree of EF and PA on PEB
Fit index x2/df RMSEA CFI IFI TLI GFI PNFI PCFI
Acceptable range < 3 < 0.08 >0.80 >0.80 >0.80 >0.80 >0.50 >0.50
Fitting results of model 1.417 0.035 0.964 0.964 0.961 0.892 0.821 0.891

4.4.2 Influence path test

The path coefficients of EF and PA on PEB are presented in Table 5. The coefficient for the effect of environmental fit on place attachment is 0.838, while the coefficient for place attachment on pro-environmental behavior is 0.230, and for environmental fit on pro-environmental behavior is 0.569.
Table 5 The analysis model path coefficient of EF and PA on PEB
Main effect model Standard path coefficient S.E. P-value Result
H1: EF→PA 0.838 0.125 <0.001 Support
H2: PA→PEB 0.230 0.092 0.034 Support
H3: EF→PEB 0.569 0.149 <0.001 Support
With all P-values less than 0.05, these relationships are significant, supporting hypotheses H1, H2 and H3 all pass the test. The specific model display diagram is shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2 Path coefficient diagram effect model of EF and PA on PEB

4.5 The influence mechanism of each dimension of EF and PA on PEB

In order to further explore the relationships among the dimensions of environmental fit, place attachment and pro- environmental behavior in greater detail, a structural equation model was developed in AMOS 29.0, incorporating each dimension. The following influence relationships were then analyzed.

4.5.1 Model goodness of fit test

The fitting results of each dimension of EF and PA on PEB analysis model are reported in Table 6. All indexes meet the accepted standards, indicating an adequate model fit.
Table 6 The model fitting degree of EF dimensions and PA on PEB
Fit index x2/df RMSEA CFI IFI TLI GFI PNFI PCFI
Acceptable range <3 < 0.08 > 0.80 > 0.80 > 0.80 > 0.80 > 0.50 > 0.50
Fitting results of model 2.395 0.064 0.880 0.881 0.870 0.818 0.747 0.810

4.5.2 Influence path analysis

The mutual influence relationships among the dimensions of environmental fit, place attachment, and pro-environmental behavior are presented in Table 7. The path coefficients form resource fit, skill fit, function fit and service fit to place attachment are 0.285, 0.374, 0.339 and 0.288, respectively. All P-values are less than 0.05, indicating significant relationships at the 90% confidence level and supporting hypotheses H1a, H1b, H1c and H1d all passed the test. The path coefficients from resource fit and skill fit to pro-environmental behavior are 0.050 and 0.029, respectively. With P-values exceeding 0.05, these relationships are not significant, leading to the rejection of hypotheses H3a and H3b failed the test. The path coefficients for functional fit, service fit, place attachment and pro-environmental behavior are 0.216, 0.336, 0.360, respectively, and P-values are all less than 0.05, which are significant at the 90% confidence level, assuming that H3c, H3d and H2 all passed the test. The specific model display diagram is shown in Figure 3.
Table 7 The analysis model path coefficient of EF dimensions and PA on PEB
Path Standardized
coefficient		 S.E. P-value Result
H1a: RF→PA 0.285 0.057 <0.001 Support
H1b: SF→PA 0.374 0.045 <0.001 Support
H1c: FF→PA 0.339 0.052 <0.001 Support
H1d: SF1→PA 0.288 0.048 <0.001 Support
H2: PA→PEB 0.360 0.085 <0.001 Support
H3a: RF→PEB 0.050 0.056 0.386 Not support
H3b: SF→PEB 0.029 0.045 0.638 Not support
H3c: FF→PEB 0.216 0.054 <0.001 Support
H3d: SF1→PEB 0.336 0.053 <0.001 Support
Figure 3 Path coefficient diagram of the effect model of EF dimensions and PA on PEB

4.6 Mediation effect test

This study employed AMOS 29.0 software and Bootstrap program (2000 samples, 90% confidence interval) to appraise the mediating effect of place attachment. The indirect effect of place attachment between environmental fit (and its dimensions of resource fit, skill fit, function fit, and service fit) and pro-environmental behavior demonstrated a confidence interval that did not include 0. These results support the hypothesized mediating role of place attachment between environmental fit and its dimensions and pro-environmental behavior, confirming H4, H4a, H4b, H4c, and H4d, as shown in Table 8.
Table 8 The results of the mediation effect test
Effect path Direct effect value Bias-corrected 90% CI direct effect Indirect effect value Bias-corrected 90% CI indirect effect
LB UB LB UB
EF→PA→PEB 0.569*** 0.365 0.776 0.192* 0.016 0.367
RF→PA→PEB 0.050 ‒0.084 0.184 0.103*** 0.048 0.178
SF→PA→PEB 0.029 ‒0.095 0.158 0.135*** 0.076 0.219
FF→PA→PEB 0.216** 0.081 0.352 0.122*** 0.063 0.216
SF1→PA→PEB 0.336*** 0.213 0.470 0.104*** 0.049 0.178
The direct effect of resource fit and skill fit on pro-environmental behavior yielded confidence intervals that included 0, suggesting a non-significant direct relationship.
Therefore, place attachment functions as a full mediator between resource fit, skill fit, and pro-environmental behavior; whereas, the confidence intervals for both the direct and indirect effects of functional fit and service fit on pro- environmental behavior excluded 0, indicating that place attachment plays a partial mediator between these constructs and pro-environmental behavior.

5 Discussion

Through empirical analysis of the relationships among environmental fit, place attachment and pro-environmental behavior in tourists visiting agricultural heritage tourism destinations, this study sheds light on the influential role of environmental fit and place attachment on tourist pro-environmental behavior, further confirming the cognition- emotion-behavior theory. The cognitive appraisal of environmental fit can directly influence pro-environmental behavior and can also indirectly influence it through place attachment, enriching the application of the cognition-emotion- behavior theory in tourist pro-environmental behavior research. By exploring the mechanism by which environmental fit influences tourist pro-environmental behavior, this study offers a novel approach to agricultural heritage preservation and the sustainable development of agricultural heritage tourism destinations from a tourist perspective.
Meanwhile, this research offers three management recommendations for administrators of agricultural heritage tourism sites. 1) Enhance guidance and publicity regarding agricultural heritage. The purpose of agricultural heritage tourism is not solely to fulfill tourists’ basic needs, but also to let tourists understand the knowledge related to agricultural cultural heritage. Through guided explanations, brochures and other methods, appropriate guidance can be offered to tourists, enabling them to understand the stories, culture and characteristics associated with Anshan Nanguo Pears. This allows tourists to acquire knowledge about agricultural heritage at this site, experience the unique appeal of ancient agricultural civilization, cultivate a sense of connection, and encourage them to consciously protect the scenic environment, thus cultivating the dissemination and continuation of agricultural heritage. 2) Improve service quality by integrating the characteristics of agricultural heritage into service delivery in a manner recognizable to tourists, thereby cultivating cultural preservation and achieving service fit, reflecting an alignment of values between tourists and site managers. In future planning and development of agricultural heritage sites, managers can evaluate the specific characteristics of Anshan Nanguo Pear agricultural heritage while ensuring its protection and advancement. Drawing upon Nanguo Pear’s natural and historical cultural resources, a unique tourism experience can be offered, while strengthening environmental protection messaging to raise tourists’ awareness of environmental preservation. 3) Cultivate tourists’ place attachment. Agricultural heritage tourism destinations can periodically organize local custom activities for tourist participation and establish interactive, highly engaging projects, such as agricultural harvesting activities, to enhance communication and interaction between tourists and local residents. This interaction deepens tourists’ understanding of local life and customs, cultivating emotional bonds. In addition, such engagement encourages tourists to spontaneously protect the environment, respect the lifestyle and customs of local residents, and promote the continuation and dissemination of local culture.
In addition, this study only applies cross-sectional data to appraise the correlations among environmental fit, place attachment, and pro-environmental behavior. A single scenic area, at varying points in its development, presents different levels of established infrastructure and visitor services. The evolving values of management can also influence tourists’ perceptions of environmental fit. Analyzing tourist environmental fit, place attachment, and pro-environmental behavior across different development phases of the same scenic area, and assessing the relationships among these three factors, produces a more comprehensive understanding of their interactions and contribute more broadly applicable findings.

6 Conclusions

Employing the Anshan Nanguo Pear cultivation system as a case study, this paper explored the agricultural heritage elements and retained characteristic activities of Duizhuangshi Scenic Spot. A questionnaire was developed, and a hypothesis model was constructed to identify the relationships among tourism environmental fit, place attachment, and pro-environmental behavior. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze these relationships, deriving the following conclusions:
(1) Departing from the conventional six-factor structure of environmental fit, this study proposes a reclassified categorization for the actual situation of agricultural heritage tourism destinations. Environmental fit is thus divided into function fit, resource fit, service fit, and skill fit. The reliability and validity of these dimensions were confirmed, supporting the effectiveness of this reclassified categorization and offering a valuable reference for future research on environmental fit.
(2) A significant positive relationship was observed between tourists’ environmental fit and their pro-environmental behavior in agricultural cultural heritage tourism destinations. Further analysis into the influence pathways of each dimension of environmental fit on pro-environmental behavior indicated that the pathways for resource fit and skill fit were non-significant. However, function fit and service fit demonstrated a significant positive effect on tourists’ pro-environmental behavior, offering insights for promoting such behavior. This highlights the importance of place attachment as an emotional driver influencing tourists’ pro-environmental behavior.
(3) Place attachment plays a mediator between environmental fit and pro-environmental behavior among tourists in agricultural cultural heritage tourism destinations. Environmental fit positively affects tourists’ place attachment, which increases with higher levels of environmental fit. Place attachment significantly affects tourists’ pro-environmental behavior, effectively bridging. This highlights the importance of place attachment as an emotional driver influencing tourists’ pro-environmental behavior.

References

Publishing order | Descend order by publishing year | Descend order by cited within
[1]
Cai L B, Zhu X T. 2021. Does tourist-environment fit affect environmentally responsible behavior? Using memorable tourism experience and place attachment as intervening variables. Tourism Tribune, 36(7): 119-131. (in Chinese)

[2]
Chen G Z, Huang X. 2022. From good feelings to good behavior: Exploring the impacts of positive emotions on tourist environmentally responsible behavior. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 50: 1-9.

[3]
Chen W X, Liu S S, Zhu Y H, et al. 2024a. Influence of tourists’ perception of rural tourism quality and place attachment on tourists’ environmentally responsible behavior: A case study of the Longji Terrace Scenic Area in Guangxi. Journal of Resources and Ecology, 15(3): 673-682.

[4]
Chen X, Zhang Y G, Cheng J J, et al. 2019. Study on the influencing factors and mechanism of recreationist-environment fit of tourists to ancient villages. Journal of Arid Land Resources and Environment, 33(10): 202-208. (in Chinese)

[5]
Chen Y C, Zhang S, Peng P, et al. 2024b. Formation mechanism of tourists’ pro-environmental behavior in Wuyishan National Park, China, based on ecological values. Forests, 15(5). DOI: 10.3390/F15050777.

[6]
Cheng W Q, Wang Z F, Chen Q C. 2021. Tourism environment fit, local attachment and tourists’ environmental behavior: A case study of Wulingyuan world heritage site. Resources and Environment in the Yangtze Basin, 30(8): 1879-1889. (in Chinese)

[7]
Dang N, Xiao H, Li W M. 2021. Empirical research on the influencing factors of tourists’ pro-environment behavior: Based on the dual perspectives of emotion and cognition. Human Geography, 36(3): 185-192. (in Chinese)

[8]
Dong F L, Zhang Y, Wang Z G. 2024. Activation and inheritance: Farmers’ willingness to participate in agricultural heritage tourism development—A case study on the Nanguo Pear Cultivation System in Anshan, China. Sustainability, 16(23): 10500. DOI: 10.3390/SU162310500.

[9]
Gao Y, Ma Y F, Bai K, et al. 2021. Which factors influence individual pro-environmental behavior in the tourism context: Rationality, affect, or morality? Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 26(5): 516-538.

[10]
Guo X, Min Q W, Jiao W J. 2024. Spatial distribution characteristics and differentiated management strategies of China Nationally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 34(3): 483-498.

DOI

[11]
He D, Wang J, Liu X, et al. 2023. The impact of farm household tourism operations on poverty reduction and conservation under the control policies of China’s protected areas. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 11: 1294060. DOI: 10.3389/fenvs.2023.1294060.

[12]
Hines J M, Hungerford H R, Tomera A N. 1987. Analysis and synthesis of research on responsible environmental behavior: A meta-analysis. The Journal of Environmental Education, 18(2): 1-8.

[13]
Hirschman E C, Holbrook M B. 1986. Expanding the ontology and methodology of research on the consumption experience. New York, USA: Springer.

[14]
Huo H, Zhang J J, Zhan S. 2023. Study on relationship among place attachment, tourists’ psychological ownership and environmentally responsible behavior. Resource Development & Market, 39(1): 120-128. (in Chinese)

[15]
Li Q, Li X, Chen W, et al. 2023. Involvement, place attachment, and environmentally responsible behaviour connected with geographical indication products. Tourism Geographies, 25(1): 44-71.

[16]
Li W M, Ao Q, Yin C Q, et al. 2020. Driving factors and influencing mechanism of tourists’ pro-environmental behavior in Shaoshan red tourism area. Economic Geography, 40(11): 233-240. (in Chinese)

DOI

[17]
Liang C R, Li S Y, Wang M H, et al. 2023. Influence of local attachment on the value co-creation behavior of winter sports tourists. Journal of Arid Land Resources and Environment, 37(5): 192-197. (in Chinese)

[18]
Liang Y W, Peng M L. 2019. The relationship between recreationist-environment fit and recreationist delight. Annals of Leisure Research, 22(1): 62-75.

[19]
Lin Y, Lin K M, Yuan X C. 2023. The generation mechanism of environmentally responsible behavior in forest hiking—A cognitive emotional processing system based on embodiment-embedding. Forestry Economics, 45(9): 59-76. (in Chinese)

[20]
Liu L Z, Ming Q Z, Shi P F. 2024. Influence of tourist-environment fit on mountain tourists’ positive emotions. Journal of Arid Land Resources and Environment, 38(4): 199-208. (in Chinese)

[21]
Long J Z, Lu C C. 2009. The hierarchy model of tourism experience: Based on the spectrum of consciousness. Journal of Beijing International Studies University, 31(11): 9-19. (in Chinese)

[22]
Peng H S, Li L L, Li C, et al. 2025. Awe-inspiring environmental engagement: unveiling the impact of awe on pro-environmental behavior in nature-based tourism destinations. Journal of Resources and Ecology, 16(1): 172-183.

DOI

[23]
Qu X Q, Wang Y Q, Yin J. 2024. Influence process of nostalgic atmosphere on tourists’ place attachment to rural tourism destinations. Geography and Geo-Information Science, 40(6): 151-158. (in Chinese)

[24]
Qu X S, Zhang D P. 2021. Impact of tourist perceived value, place identity on citizenship behavior of traditional villages. Enterprise Economy, 40(3): 123-131. (in Chinese)

[25]
Ren Q, He B, Chen X, et al. 2021. The mechanism and mediating effect of the “perception-emotion-behaviour” chain of tourists at world natural heritage sites—A case study from Bayanbulak, China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(23): 12531. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182312531.

[26]
Su B R. 2013. Release of the first 19 important agricultural heritage in China. Farmers’ Daily, 2013-05-22. (in Chinese)

[27]
Su Y Y, Wang Y, Sun Y H, et al. 2020. Relationship between tourists’ environmental responsibility behavior and food preference in agricultural heritage sites: A case study of Qingtian Rice-Fish Culture System. Chinese Journal of Eco-Agriculture, 28(9): 1414-1424. (in Chinese)

[28]
Sun J J, Xu Y. 2022. Influence of recreationist-environment fit on tourists’ subjective well-being and the mechanism. Journal of Arid Land Resources and Environment, 36(11): 168-174. (in Chinese)

[29]
Tsaur S H, Liang Y W, Lin W R. 2012. Conceptualization and measurement of the recreationist-environment fit. Journal of Leisure Research, 44(1): 110-130.

[30]
Wu X, Jia W, Wu T. 2024. Mechanism by which environmental education influences pro-environmental behavior in Wuyishan National Park, China. Sustainability, 17(1): 43. DOI: 10.3390/SU17010043.

[31]
Xu Y, Li J Y. 2022. Effects of urban built environment on tourists’ emotional experience and behavioral intention: A case study in Xi’an City. Areal Research and Development, 41(2): 107-112. (in Chinese)

[32]
Yang J M, Shen W, Dong Z F. 2023. The review of pro-environmental behavior and its influencing mechanisms. Ecological Economy, 39(3): 199-205. (in Chinese)

[33]
Yang Z D, Dong Y H, Zhao C L, et al. 2024. The generation path and influencing factors of pro-environmental behavior based on motivation-oriented mechanism—Taking camping tourism as an example. Journal of Resources and Ecology, 15(3): 663-672.

DOI

[34]
Yao C C, Xu Y, Sun Y H, et al. 2023. Simulation study on tourist protection behavior of agricultural heritage sites under the background of rural revitalization—A case study of Hani terraces in Yunnan Province. Resource Development & Market, 39(11): 1559-1568. (in Chinese)

[35]
Yoon J I, Lee K J, Larson L R. 2024. Place attachment mediates links between pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors among visitors to Mt. Bukhan National Park, South Korea. Frontiers in Psychology, 15: 1338650. DOI: 10.3389/FPSYG.2024.1338650.

[36]
Zhang H, Xu H G. 2023. The effects of tourscape and destination familiarity on tourists’ place attachment. Tourism Tribune, 38(6): 122-135. (in Chinese)

[37]
Zhang J, Jin L, Pan X, et al. 2024. Pro-environmental behavior of tourists in ecotourism scenic spots: The promoting role of tourist experience quality in place attachment. Sustainability, 16(20): 8984. DOI: 10.3390/ SU16208984.

[38]
Zhou L, Zhao J, Wang J H. 2024. Place attachment or novel experience? Enablers of recreationists’ environmentally responsible behavior in scenic spots. SAGE Open, 14(2): 21582440241255745. DOI: 10.1177/21582440241255745.

Options
Outlines

/

〈 〉