The Effect of Environmental Knowledge on Pro-Environmental Behaviors in Marsa Matrouh :Place Attachment as a Moderator

Author

Tourist Studies Department Faculty of Tourism and Hotels- Matrouh University

Abstract

Sustainable development could be understood as an objective that requires transitioning to green world; so that, improving environmental knowledge enhances behaviours and sustainability in tourist destinations. So, this study focuses on two of the antecedents of sustainable development in local tourist destinations and how they influence pro-environmental behaviors. The population of the study consisted of both local residents and vacationers of Marsa Matrouh. The present study used a quantitative approach and self-administered questionnaire was the tool for data collection. The results showed that both local residents and vacationers are at a desirable level in terms of place attachment and two behavioral models for the sustainable development of the city were proposed. In addition, the analysis of the results underlined the positive effect of environmental knowledge on pro-environmental behaviors of the two target groups. Based on the results, the study provided some recommendations for raising local residents’ environmental knowledge through activating the environmental initiative “Live Green” that was adopted by the Egyptian state. According to the unique significance of place attachment for each sample, the study recommended some recommendations for benefiting the city of Marsa Matrouh as it still have some physical attributes that stimulate place attachment in spite of the recent renovations.

Keywords