Izvorni znanstveni članak
https://doi.org/10.20867/thm.32.2.10
What motivates travellers to visit low-carbon destinations? empirical evidence from Thailand
Piyavit Thipbharos
*
Aswin Sangpikul
* Dopisni autor.
Sažetak
Purpose – Despite growing interest in low-carbon tourism research, few studies have
explored travellers’ motivations for choosing low-carbon destinations, particularly through
the push-pull theory. Research indicates that motivations for environmental tourism may
vary across cultures due to multiple factors, necessitating a context-specific investigation
and diverse research approaches. This study addresses these gaps by applying the push-pull
motivation theory to examine travel motivations in the context of low-carbon destinations in
Thailand. A thorough understanding of tourist motivations across different cultural settings is
essential for advancing theoretical knowledge and promoting sustainable tourism practices.
Methodology/Design/Approach – Adopting a naturalistic inquiry approach, data were collected
through semi-structured interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. Participants were
selected through purposive sampling.
Findings – The study identifies three push factors: good environment seeking, learning &
knowledge seeking, and rest & escape; and six pull factors: attractive destination attributes,
interesting tourist activities, appealing communication, convenient accessibility, environmentally
friendly service providers, and environmental management appeals. The study reveals both
common and new push and pull factors related to low-carbon travel motivations.
Originality of the research – This study contributes to the push-pull motivation theory
by introducing good environment seeking as a distinct push factor. It further refines the
conceptualisation of pull factors by integrating sustainability practices with traditional
destination attributes, thereby enhancing the theoretical understanding of what makes lowcarbon destinations attractive.
Ključne riječi
travel motivations, push factors, pull factors, low-carbon destinations
Hrčak ID:
345131
URI
Datum izdavanja:
4.3.2026.
Posjeta: 197 *