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Determinants of Visitor Pro-Environmental Intentions on Two Small Greek Islands: Is Ecotourism Possible at Coastal Protected Areas?

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Abstract

A relatively under-researched question is whether there is a possibility of influencing environmentally aware tourists regarding ecotourism at destinations that continue to develop under a pattern of mass ‘seaside’ tourism. Our objective was to assess the pro-environmental intentions of visitors at two small Greek islands, which are within a Natura 2000 site, specifically Paxoi and Antipaxoi. Intentions involved willingness to receive information about the protected area, willingness to accept pro-environmental limitations on recreational experience, and willingness-to-pay a conditional environmental conservation value added tax. In addition, we aimed to identify determinants of visitor pro-environmental intentions among visitor and visit characteristics, visitor satisfaction, and self-reported environmental knowledge, as well as anticipated outcomes of tourism development and suggestions for protected area management. We randomly collected 324 usable questionnaires during the summer season; 242 (74.69 %) by Greek visitors and 82 (25.31 %) by foreign visitors. Visitor satisfaction was quite high; however, visitors reported low levels of environmental knowledge. Our findings showed that the unique characteristics of the destination were not salient among visitors and that there is a lack of effective outreach campaigns, interpretation, and on-site environmental education programs. However, our study revealed high levels of visitor pro-environmental intentions that might support the promotion of ecotourism on the two islands. We provide recommendations based on determinants of visitor pro-environmental intentions, which might assist towards advancing visitor participation in environmental education projects, environmentally responsible behavior among visitors, and financial contribution to environmental conservation by visitors.

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Acknowledgments

We thank all respondents who participated in the survey. We also thank the Editorial Board and three anonymous reviewers for their comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript. The manuscript was thoroughly edited by Gail Schofield. This research was funded by the Department of Environmental Technology and Ecology, Technological Educational Institute of Ionian Islands.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Technology and Ecology, Technological Educational Institute of Ionian Islands, Zakynthos, Greece

    Andriani Kafyri & Konstantinos Poirazidis

  2. Department of Primary Education, University of Thessaly, Argonafton & Filellinon, 38221, Volos, Greece

    Tasos Hovardas

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  1. Andriani Kafyri
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Correspondence to Tasos Hovardas.

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Kafyri, A., Hovardas, T. & Poirazidis, K. Determinants of Visitor Pro-Environmental Intentions on Two Small Greek Islands: Is Ecotourism Possible at Coastal Protected Areas?. Environmental Management 50, 64–76 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-012-9856-z

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