How to overcome the intention–behavior gap in sustainable tourism: Tourism Agenda 2030 perspective article

Purpose This study encourages a quantum leap knowledge encouraging tourism researchers to measure actual behavior. Design/methodology/approach This study enhances the contribution of scholars to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals; it is key to understand how to alleviate the distance between consumers’ intentions and behavior. Findings This study proposes a conceptual figure that shows how relative value, rationality and social desirability are the key determinants that hamper intentions in becoming behaviors. Originality/value This study encourages scholars to consider consumers’ perceptions and the relative value they attribute to sustainability in their decision-making and to conduct field studies that observe consumer behavior in the real world and measure not just the intentions, but what is actually happening.