A Sociological Explanation of Tourist's Environmental Behavior (Case Study: Forest Park of Noor City)

Extended Abstract:Introducation Sociologically¡ in a modern world¡ tourism seems a kind of consumption of environment. Obviously¡ a considerable part of this consumption is performed by tourists. Hence¡ tourists play important roles in the process of either development of sustainable tourism and or destruction of it. The tourism is a growing phenomenon and yet having positive and negative environmental effects on tourist areas. To reduce of negative effects of tourism¡ it is necessary to study environmental behaviors and its influencing fctors. Toursists are one of the main groups whose behavior may affect on the environment. Since uncontrolled extension of tourism industry may lead to harm the environment¡ it is execpted that local tourists to have environmental freinedly behavior which can prevent the occurrence of enironmnetal poblems. To study tourists’ behavior toward the environments (e.g¡ local park) will provide proper information for the policy makers to proptect the natural park. The purpose of this research is sociological analyzing of tourists behavior in the Forest Park of the Nour city¡ Mazandaran. The theoretical framework of this survey is based on multiple models (motivation¡ ability and opportunity model and environmental behavior model).
To conduct this research¡ a survey method was used and its target group was composed of people who were visiting the paperk as tourists. The sample of the study was selected by applying convenience sampling method. In the primary stage¡ analyzing of the sample data comfirmed the validity and reliability of questions whereas the reliability coefficient was more than 0/72. Having collected the required data by utilizing questionnaire technich¡ all data were processed by using SPSS software and analyzed by applying descriptive as well as inferential statistics.
Discussion and The results of the survey showed that there was a positive relationship between gender and environmental behavior whereas women have shown more responsible behavior than men. This result was compatible with the results the research conducted by Mehmet Oghlo (2010) an Minsa and De Mensa(2013). The reults of the study also showed that was not relationship between age and environmental behaviors. Age distribution howed that young vistors (at theeage of 15 to 30 year) have expressed more supportive haviours towars he environment compared with other old groups. The result also indicated that there was a clear relationship between education and environmental behaviors whereas tourists with ceriticate of diploma or higher education have expressed better environmental behaviors. This results is compatible with the results achieved by Clodina(2000) where he found a positive relationship between education and environmeal responsible behavior.
Another results of the research can be mentioned as the research found a significant relationship between tourists’ environmental attitudes and environmental behaviors. Thi result is compatible with findings of some researchers like Salehi(2010)¡ Stern(2005)¡ karimzadeh(1389)¡ Shahsaani and Abdollahi(1386). Furthermore¡ findings of this survey showed that there was significant relationship between environmental knowledge and environmental behaviors. Queen et.al(2009) salehi(1389)¡ both have reached the same results in their studies. In other words¡ the result of the current study is compatible with the results of the previous studies.
The result of the study show that there was a significant relationship between opportunity and environmental behaviors. While some researchers like Salehi et al.91391) and Emamgholi(1390) have confirmed this type of hypothesi in their experimental stdies¡ other researcher like Jafarsalehi(1392)¡ found an oppoite result. This means the results of the studies on the relationship between opportunity and environmental behavior still is inconsitence.
Finally¡ the results of Regression Model showed that environmental value was the first variables entered in the model¡ while opportunity was the last one which was entered in the model. This indicates the different roles which these two viables can play in hapig tourists’ behavior in the studied area.
The overall result of this study show that there different factors which are underpinning tourists’ behavior towards the environment. Even in a natural environment like forst part¡ there is no chance to introduce one factor as a determinat variable. However¡ among different surveyed factrs¡ the results show that values and new environmental attitudes are playing importnatnt roles in determining viitors behavior. Values are forming a basement for people behavior and this means that with changing people values¡ we can ecxpect visitors behavior will change towards environmnally sustainable bahviour. More importantly¡ values can play significant role to change vistors’ attitudes towards the environment. It means¡ when people hold enviromnetal values¡ there is very likely that they will show environmental friendly behavior. These results suggested that policy makers should focus on tourists’ values if they want to have their support to protect the environment. With considering vistors’ values and attitudes towards the nevironmnet¡ it is very hard to imagine any proper policy to get supported by toursist. Policy makers like thoese palnners who are working in municipalities can provide supportive opportunities in forest parks to reduce possible environmental problems by educating toursist through new values as Dunlpa calls “new Environmnetal paradigm”.