From perceived ESG knowledge to sustainable tourism support intentions: the roles of ESG authenticity and destination trust

Purpose Although environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives have gained prominence in corporate and policy discussions, their implications from the tourist perspective remain underexplored. This study examines how tourists’ subjective ESG knowledge influences sustainable tourism support intention through the sequential mechanisms of perceived ESG authenticity and destination trust. Design/methodology/approach Grounded in customer learning theory, signaling theory, and trust theory, this research employed a preliminary, quantitative, and experimental design. Data were collected from international tourists recruited through the Prolific online panel. A total of 446 valid responses were analyzed using Hayes’ PROCESS macro (Model 6) to test a sequential mediation model of the study. Findings Results show that tourists’ subjective ESG knowledge significantly predicts sustainable tourism support intention both directly and indirectly. Higher perceived ESG knowledge enhances perceptions of ESG authenticity, which strengthens destination trust and subsequently increases sustainable tourism support intention, confirming the sequential mediation process. Practical implications Tourism destinations can foster sustainable support by actively educating tourists about ESG initiatives and ensuring communications are perceived as authentic. By linking ESG messaging to trust-building practices, destinations can increase tourists’ confidence in sustainability claims, promoting long-term engagement and responsible tourism behaviors. Originality/value This research is novel in linking tourists’ subjective ESG knowledge to support for sustainable tourism through a sequential psychological process. By integrating customer learning, signaling, and trust theories, it clarifies the cognitive and affective pathways through which ESG knowledge shapes tourist intention, addressing a gap largely absent in prior tourism ESG studies.