67. Moral Norms in Action: Understanding the Interplay of Visitors' Motivations, Pro-Environmental Personal Norms, and Satisfaction in a Protected Area Context

Silva, L. F., Carballo-Cruz, F., & Ribeiro, J. C. (2025). Moral Norms in Action: Understanding the Interplay of Visitors’ Motivations, Pro-Environmental Personal Norms, and Satisfaction in a Protected Area Context. International Journal of Tourism Research, 27(3). https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr.70066This paper, titled “Moral Norms in Action: Understanding the Interplay of Visitors’ Motivations, Pro-Environmental Personal Norms, and Satisfaction in a Protected Area Context”, explores how nature-related motivations, pro-environmental personal norms (PEPN), and overall satisfaction interact within Protected Areas (PAs). Conducted in Portugal’s Alvão Natural Park with 316 visitors, the study employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Results revealed that motivations to connect with nature, relax, and escape daily stress positively influence PEPN, which in turn significantly enhances visitor satisfaction. Furthermore, PEPN mediates the relationship between motivations and satisfaction, indicating that moral alignment strengthens the experiential outcome. Among sociodemographic variables, only education positively affected PEPN. The study contributes theoretically by establishing PEPN as a key psychological bridge between motivation and satisfaction. Practically, it suggests that PA managers should promote educational and communicative strategies that frame pro-environmental actions as morally meaningful, fostering responsible behavior and higher satisfaction.