Investigating the Impact of push and pull motivations and Environmental Concerns on Sustainable Destination Loyalty

¹ University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan
² Doctoral Program in Management, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Indonesia
³ Al Neelain University, Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia, Sudan

^* Corresponding author: indahfatmawati@umy.ac.id

Abstract

This research investigates the mediating role of environmental concern in the relationship between motivational factors and loyalty to sustainable destinations among tourists. Through a quantitative survey design involving 201 international tourists visiting the Borobudur and Prambanan sites, we examined how push and pull motivational factors relate to sustainable destination loyalty and how tourists' environmental concerns influence these relationships. Our findings, derived from Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), found that environmental concern is significantly influenced by both push and pull factors, which, in turn, has a strong positive effect on sustainable destination loyalty. Moreover, environmental concern significantly mediates the relationship between both types of motivations and destination loyalty. The study adds to the existing knowledge by explaining how environmental concern serves as a connecting factor between tourist motivations and their commitment to sustainable tourism practices. It reinforces the importance of considering environmental values in tourism marketing and management strategies to enhance tourist retention and loyalty.