Attitudes and Tourists’ Sustainable Behavior: An Overview of the Literature and Discussion of Some Theoretical and Methodological Issues

Abstract

The article reports an overview of studies that have investigated the role of attitudes in understanding tourists’ sustainable choices. The literature is discussed in the light of theories and empirical research in social and environmental psychology. The aim is to show how past and present work in these disciplines can help tourism scholars to deal with the complex functioning of the attitude concept when this is applied to sustainability issues. Particular attention has been paid to the theoretical and methodological distinctions between the different types of attitudes as they relate to sustainability. Suggestions for improving the effective use of attitudes in sustainability related tourism studies are made together with a discussion of the possible research avenues directed to consolidate as well as to broaden the theoretical foundations of the use of the attitude concept in this field.