How low-carbon travel improves travel well-being : Evidence from China

Low-carbon travel has important implications on travel well-being. However, the precise affecting mechanism between low-carbon travel and travel well-being remains largely unknown. Therefore, in this paper, a new model of the relationship between low-carbon travel and travel well-being is developed and applied. Based on survey data collected from 523 residents in the Central Activities Zone (CAZ) of Guangzhou, China, a combination of structural equation modeling (SEM) and qualitative interviews is employed to comprehensively study how low-carbon travel affects travel well-being. The SEM results show that overall socio-demographics significantly impact travel well-being (β value = 0.189). Low-carbon awareness and low-carbon travel modes positively affect travel well-being, with β values of 0.259 and 0.327, respectively. A low-carbon environment also affects travel well-being, but the effect is positive and indirect, mediated through low-carbon travel modes (β value = 0.178). Empirical tests demonstrate that low-carbon awareness, convenient low-carbon travel, personal low-carbon preferences for travel, and comprehensive low-carbon modes all positively impact travel well-being. Moreover, the qualitative interviews support the quantitative findings of SEM to a great extent. Based on these quantitative findings, the paper concludes that low-carbon transport policies have important implications on travel well-being.