THE ROLE OF CULTURAL HERITAGE APPRECIATION AND HISTORICAL REVERENCE IN PROMOTING PRO-ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOR AMONG TOURISTS: INSIGHTS FOR SUSTAINABLE HERITAGE TOURISM MANAGEMENT

Abstract

We explored the association between Cultural Heritage Appreciation (CHA) and Pro-Environmental Behavior (PEB) through the moderating impact of Cultural and Historical Reverence (CHR), along with the moderation-mediation impact of socio-demographic factors age and education. The data was collected from 468 tourists visiting Mohenjo-Daro, an ancient archaeological site in Pakistan. Study findings show the positive association between CHA and PEB, with the effect being stronger among younger and more-educated tourists. Additionally, the study reveals that CHR partially mediates the relationship between CHA and PEB, with older and less-educated tourists showing a stronger mediation effect. These findings highlight the importance of fostering cultural and historical engagement to promote sustainable tourism practices, offering valuable insights for policymakers and heritage site managers. The study contributes to the understanding of how socio-demographic factors influence pro-environmental behaviors in cultural heritage tourism and emphasizes the role of CHR as a mediator in this context.