Green engagement pathways in tourism: The converging roles of knowledge sharing and social media in shaping revisit intentions

Abstract

Despite significant advances in green marketing within the tourism sector, the specific pathways through which green knowledge sharing influences tourist behaviors and revisit intentions remain underexplored. This study addresses this gap by examining how the dissemination of environmentally-focused knowledge by organizations impacts tourists’ environmentally responsible engagement behaviors and their intentions to revisit, with a particular focus on the moderating role of social media usage. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach in Vietnam’s burgeoning tourism industry, data from 700 tourists were analyzed using structural equation modeling to validate hypothesized relationships. The results indicate that environmentally responsible engagement behaviors significantly mediate the relationship between organizations’ green knowledge dissemination and tourists’ intentions to revisit destinations. Moreover, the study finds that active engagement on social media platforms intensifies this mediation effect, suggesting that strategic digital interactions can amplify the influence of green knowledge on tourist behaviors. This research contributes to the sustainable tourism literature by demonstrating how social media can enhance the effectiveness of green marketing strategies, promote sustainable practices, and improve long-term business sustainability in the tourism sector.