Mohd Hafiz Hanafiah, Tressy Belly, Zulhilmi Zulkurnain, Muaz Azinuddin, Galih Kusumah
This study investigates how destination attractiveness and its augmentation influence environmentally responsible behaviour and place attachment, and how these factors affect perceived value among geopark visitors. It explores the emotional and behavioural mechanisms driving sustainable tourism, grounded in goal-directed behaviour, place attachment, and value-belief-norm theories. A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was employed to collect data from 462 visitors to the Kilim Karst Geoforest Park using a structured questionnaire. Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the proposed model and test the hypothesised relationships. The findings revealed that destination attractiveness and destination-augmented attractiveness had significant positive effects on both environmentally responsible behaviour and place attachment. Both variables (environmentally responsible behaviour and place attachment) also significantly contribute to the enhancement of perceived value. The study argued that destination attractiveness would serve as a key driver of sustainable tourism outcomes by fostering stronger emotional bonds and encouraging responsible environmental behaviour, ultimately leading to greater perceived value. These insights offer practical implications for managers and policymakers in geopark contexts, aiming to improve visitor satisfaction, foster conservation-minded attitudes, and build long-term loyalty among geopark visitors. © 2026 Elsevier B.V.
Faculty of Hotel and Tourism Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia; Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia; Faculty of Entrepreneurship and Business, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia; School of Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Malaysia; Faculty of Applied Social Sciences, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Terengganu, Malaysia; School of Postgraduates, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Indonesia
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