A Multi-Layered, Progressive Model of Self-Driving Tourists’ Environmental Responsibility Behavior: Enriched Tourism Destination 6A Framework

Amid growing environmental challenges associated with self-driving tourism, this study explores destination-level factors beyond the traditional 6A framework that influence tourists’ environmental responsibility behavior (ERB). Using a grounded theory approach supported by expert interviews, this study conducted 20 + 5 (theoretical saturation test) interviews with local government officials, academics and researchers, local tourism industry professionals, and local community representatives. The interview data underwent a three-stage coding process—open, axial, and selective coding. As a result, three additional drivers of ERB were identified: (1) governance capacity for sustainability, (2) green innovation practices, and (3) community-based environmental empathy. Together with the 6A framework, these drivers form a multi-layered, progressive model that explains how destinations shape ERB through three pathways: product and service experience, institutional regulation and technological enablement, and emotional connection as the deepest driver. The study enriches destination behavior theory by integrating tangible, managerial, and cultural mechanisms, offering theoretical advancement and practical strategies for promoting sustainable self-driving tourism.