Determinants of hotel guests’ pro-environmental behaviour: Past behaviour as moderator

This study aims to explore the determinants of hotel guests’ pro-environmental behaviour using past behaviour as a moderator. The study used the partial least square technique to analyse data from 322 hotel guests in Malaysia. The findings showed that environmental knowledge, awareness, and concern influenced environmental emotional value. Environmental knowledge and environmental concern influenced environmental social value, whereas environmental awareness did not. Besides, environmental social value was the main factor that encouraged hotel guests’ pro-environmental behaviour and mediates the influences of environmental knowledge and environmental concern on pro-environmental behaviour. Additionally, past behaviour negatively moderated the relationship between environmental social value and pro-environmental behaviour. The study contributes to environmental behaviour and sustainable tourism by demonstrating the role of environmental social value in shaping hotel guests’ pro-environmental behaviour. Drawing on cognitive appraisal theory, the study found that cognitive concern and evaluation of the environment evoke affective responses, leading to pro-environmental behaviour. •This study aims to explore the determinants of hotel guests’ pro-environmental behaviour.•Environmental social value associates positively with pro-environmental behaviour.•Environmental emotional value has no effect on pro-environmental behaviour.•Past behaviour negatively moderates the association between environmental social value and pro-environmental behaviour.•The influences of environmental knowledge, awareness, and concern on environmental social and emotional value are varied.