Impact Of Green Destination Brand Experience on Tourist Economic and Behavioral Outcomes: The Moderating Role of Green Innovation in Urban Tourism

Abstract

Emerging trends on experiential value and climate change have led to a new kind of competition between tourism destinations in modern markets. This study examines the impact of green destination brand experience on tourist economic and behavioral outcomes, while assessing the moderating role of green innovation in the context of urban tourism to evaluate whether these relationships vary under certain conditions. Data were gathered by a structured questionnaire through online platforms, from young tourists who had visited major metropolitan cities of Pakistan in the last year, with 325 usable questionnaires retained for analysis. Data were analyzed using SPSS 24 for preliminary analysis, AMOS 24 for confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling, and Hayes PROCESS Model 1 to assess moderation. The results indicate strong positive implications of green destination brand experience on willingness to pay a price premium and green word of mouth. This means that fruitful green destination experiences can provide economic dividends and positive spillover behavioral advocacy. In addition, with visible green innovation supporting positive experiences, tourist are more willing to pay higher prices for their experiences as a consequence of the stronger association between green destination experience and willingness to pay a price premium. In addition, green innovation does not show moderating effect on green WOM. This study extends the literature on destination branding and sustainable tourism by showing that experience driven outcomes differ depending on environmental conditions. Practical implications are emphasized for integrating experiential design with green innovation into the destination competitiveness of urban tourism.