The Cultural Roots of Green Stays: Understanding Touristic Accommodation Choices Through the Lens of the Theory of Planned Behavior

Abstract

Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this study presents and tests an integrated model to investigate how individual cultural values influence tourists’ decisions when selecting sustainable accommodation. This study aims to examine the cultural impact on sustainable accommodation choices from the perspectives of tourists in three culturally distinct countries. Data were gathered from 1855 participants in Spain, Norway, and Lithuania using a questionnaire survey method. The data was analyzed using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) method, with statistical analysis based on Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). This study found that uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation significantly influence attitude. Additionally, collectivism and power distance notably impact subjective norms, while masculinity affects perceived behavioral control. Tourists’ intentions regarding sustainable accommodation choices were determined to be influenced by attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. These findings contribute to the theoretical discussion of sustainable purchasing by emphasizing the intricate role of individual cultural values and provide practical insights for developing marketing strategies that resonate with these values.

1. Introduction

Climate change is a critical global environmental concern in the present era. Numerous industries across the globe are actively incorporating eco-friendly solutions to mitigate its adverse effects [1,2]. Notably, the tourism sector significantly contributes to environmental degradation, with the accommodation segment, including hotels and other lodging options, wielding substantial environmental footprints [3,4]. Sustainable accommodations have commenced integrating energy-efficient practices and renewable energy sources to combat this challenge, presenting immense potential to curtail escalating environmental harm [5]. Concurrently, there is an observable surge in tourist awareness regarding environmental issues, propelling a heightened demand for sustainable accommodations [6,7]. Nevertheless, there remains an insufficient exploration of the factors driving tourists to opt for sustainable accommodations.

The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) provides a valuable framework for understanding tourists’ behavior, particularly about their preference for sustainable accommodations. According to this theory, three fundamental constructs—attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control—significantly influence behavior [8,9,10]. When applied to sustainable accommodations, these constructs can elucidate the reasons why tourists choose to stay in lodging facilities that minimize their environmental impact, including energy consumption. Moreover, beyond these core drivers, culture may play a pivotal role in shaping behavior, given its defining influence on individuals [11,12]. Studies have indicated that green purchasing behavior may vary across different cultural contexts [13,14,15,16]. Notably, cultural values such as uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation, collectivism, power distance, and masculinity, as identified by Hofstede [17], can impact tourists’ behavior. This suggests that the relationship between green purchasing and cultural dimensions is intricate and significant, requiring a nuanced exploration.

The importance of green purchasing in the tourism industry has been acknowledged in various studies [3,18]. Yet, there is a surprising lack of research on the variations in green purchasing behavior across different cultures. The direct impact of culture on green purchasing, particularly in the context of sustainability, has been relatively understudied. While there is existing scholarship on the influence of cultural values on consumer behavior, most studies [9,13,14,15,19,20] have focused on national or group-level cultural values rather than individual-level cultural values, which are critical determinants of specific behaviors such as green purchasing.

Only a few studies have incorporated individual-level cultural values as potential determinants of green purchasing. For instance, Kim and Choi [21] examined the effect of collectivism on green purchase behavior but found the relationship to be insignificant. Nguyen et al. [22] expanded on this by adding long-term orientation to their research model. They found that consumers with greater adherence to collectivism and long-term orientation tend to engage in green purchase behavior due to their positive environmental attitudes, strong subjective norms, and tolerance of inconvenience associated with environment-friendly product purchases. Other studies have measured the impact of collectivism, long-term orientation, and man-nature orientation on green purchase intention among educated urban consumers in India [23], South Korea, and Vietnam [8]. However, the impact of uncertainty avoidance and power distance on green purchasing behavior remains largely unexplored. This research gap presents a significant obstacle to understanding the green purchasing phenomenon in the tourism industry. To address this gap, this study aims to investigate the cultural influence on environment-friendly choices in accommodation from the perspectives of tourists in three culturally different countries (Spain, Norway, and Lithuania), focusing on five cultural dimensions: uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation, collectivism, power distance, and masculinity. The research question formulated in this study is: how do individual cultural values influence sustainable tourist accommodation choices?

This study’s significance lies in expanding the TPB model to integrate individual-level cultural values, which offer insight into how these values influence tourists’ choices of sustainable accommodation. Understanding the factors that drive tourists’ intention to select sustainable accommodation and their actual behavior is crucial for effectively implementing sustainable marketing strategies. As such, the findings of this study are expected to provide valuable insights for developing green marketing strategies that align with the cultural intricacies of the target market, thus fostering a more sustainable environment.

This paper is divided into six sections. The literature review includes ten hypotheses supported by specific research works. The methodology provides the reader with information about the survey, measuring instruments, and statistical analysis. The results encompass preliminary and path indicators. The discussion attempts to gain insight into the obtained evidence. The conclusions draw the main ideas, develop practical implications, put forward future lines of research, and acknowledge limitations.

2. Literature Review

Examining green purchasing behavior in the tourism industry is crucial for the industry’s progression towards environmental sustainability. Various theories, including Value–Belief–Norm [24], Stimulus–Organism–Behavior–Consequence [2], Value–Attitude–Behavior [25], and TPB [9,26,27], have contributed to the understanding of the predictors of green purchasing behavior in tourism. Among these, the TPB stands out as the most commonly used for predicting consumer behavior due to its flexible design [3,12], and it has been widely applied in different areas, including tourism [9,28,29]. According to TPB, individual behavior is influenced by significant beliefs and the resulting assessments of a specific action [30].

To examine the research question, this study utilizes the framework of the TPB. The primary dependent variable of the model is green purchasing behavior, which is derived from TPB. Green purchasing behavior encompasses the acquisition of environmentally sustainable and eco-friendly products that are recyclable and have a positive impact on the environment. It also entails the avoidance of products that pose harm to the environment and society [31].

Upon reviewing past research on TPB in the tourism industry, it has been noted that some researchers [3,26,27] introduce additional factors into the models to enhance the accuracy of behavior predictions and elucidate why specific consumers encounter difficulties acting on their intentions. This indicates that TPB has the capacity and flexibility to encompass other relevant variables that directly influence intention and behavior in addition to the factors inherent in the theory. The identified research gap prompts us to introduce cultural values (such as uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation, collectivism, power distance, and masculinity) as additional variables into the traditional TPB model. The conceptual research framework (Figure 1) formulated in this study proposes that individual cultural values serve as determinants of tourists’ attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, influencing behavioral intention and actual behavior.

2.1. Behavioral Intention

It is well-established that behavioral intention is a significant predictor of actual behavior [32]. For instance, Sann et al. [29] conducted empirical research demonstrating that behavioral intention explains tourists’ actual behavior in cycling tourism. Similarly, Bashir et al. [33] identified a positive relationship between consumers’ behavioral intention toward green hotels and their green consumption behavior. This finding was further supported by Yadav and Pathak [34], who tested the extended version of the TPB among educated consumers in urban areas. Furthermore, Aseri and Anmsari [35] concluded that purchase intention leads to the purchase behavior of green footwear in Saudi Arabia.

The consistent evidence across various contexts and populations highlights the robustness of the relationship between behavioral intention and actual behavior, affirming the former as a valid predictor of the latter. Based on this, we propose the hypothesis:

Hypothesis 1 (H1). 

Green purchase intention positively influences actual purchasing behavior.

2.2. Attitude

Attitude refers to a learned tendency to consistently react positively or negatively toward a specific object [32]. TPB suggests that intentions result from attitude, with positive attitudes expected to lead to higher intentions to perform the behavior. In tourism, several studies have confirmed the positive influence of attitude toward intentions [36,37]. Notably, in a study by Li et al. [36], attitude was found to have the most substantial effect on behavioral intentions among the variables explored. Considering that behavioral intention is determined by individuals’ positive or negative attitudes towards the decision, it is expected that:

Hypothesis 2 (H2). 

Individuals’ attitude positively influences green purchasing intentions.

2.3. Subjective Norms

Translating ecological intentions into green hotel selection is hard without considering antecedent variables, such as values [9]. Regarding altruism and collectivism values, social norms play a role in shaping environmental purchasing intentions. In this vein, it has been demonstrated that collectivistic values and social norms shape intrinsic pro-environmental responses and ecological personal norms to visit green hotels [28]. Therefore, green hotel choices are subject to the guest group norms [38] insofar as subjective norms affect green purchase behaviors [39]. In contrast, subjective norms might negatively affect green hotel selection if other factors are in mind, such as attitude [40], especially if price and affordability intervene with cognitions, evaluations, and predispositions [41,42]. Hence, we hypothesize the following:

Hypothesis 3 (H3). 

Subjective norms positively influence green purchasing intentions.

2.4. Perceived Behavioral Control

Perceived behavioral control explains consumers’ belief in their ability to behave in a certain way and manage the impact of external factors on their behavior [3]. Previous research works are inconclusive when they attempt to bridge the gap between attitude and behavior. However, it is becoming clear that perceived behavioral control positively influences green purchase intention [43], with environmental attitude [40] and other external factors [44] playing a mediating role. In other words, staying at a green hotel is linked to perceived behavioral control and, hence, the intention to become an ecological guest is rooted in this self-perception [42,45], regardless of cultural differences [46]. Therefore, we posit that:

Hypothesis 4 (H4). 

Perceived behavioral control positively influences green purchasing intention.

Perceived behavioral control influences green purchasing responses [47] and green visit hotel behavior [48]. It is also worth mentioning the existence of other mediating variables regarding social norms and availability [44]. For this reason, the intention of staying in environmentally friendly hotels relies more on environmental concerns and social norms than behavioral control [49]. However, behavioral control matters if circumstances are favorable [50]. On this basis, we suggest that:

Hypothesis 5 (H5). 

Perceived behavioral control positively influences actual green purchasing behavior.

2.5. Uncertainty Avoidance

Uncertainty avoidance pertains to the extent to which a society conditions its members to feel comfortable or uncomfortable in ambiguous situations [17]. Individuals with higher uncertainty avoidance tend to seek predictability, structure, and stability [51] because their decision-making process and information search differ depending on the predictable circumstances [52]. As environmentally friendly practices become more established and regulated within the tourism industry, individuals with high uncertainty avoidance may exhibit a positive attitude towards environment-friendly options, providing a sense of certainty. Tourist accommodations are perceived as trustworthy and reliable when they adhere to clear norms and standards. In some cases, attitudes may become positive due to the framing of sustainability as a widely accepted and essential method for mitigating environmental risks [53]. It is therefore assumed that for tourists with high uncertainty avoidance, choosing sustainable accommodations may be seen as a way to reduce environmental risks associated with unsustainable practices, leading to a positive attitude towards these accommodations [54]. Consequently, we propose the following hypothesis:

Hypothesis 6 (H6). 

Uncertainty avoidance has a positive impact on attitudes.

2.6. Long-Term Orientation

Long-term orientations foster practical qualities prioritizing future benefits, such as frugality, perseverance, and adaptability to changing circumstances [17]. Individuals with a long-term orientation are inclined to endorse behaviors that contribute to long-term sustainability [55]. It is assumed that individuals with stronger long-term orientation are more likely to recognize sustainable practices’ environmental and social benefits as valuable, leading to a more positive attitude. Building on the findings of Nguyen et al. [22], which demonstrated a strong positive impact of long-term orientation on environmental attitudes regarding energy-efficient household appliances in Vietnam, a similar effect is anticipated within the sustainable accommodation industry. As a result, it is predicted that:

Hypothesis 7 (H7). 

Long-term orientation has a positive effect on attitudes.

2.7. Collectivism

Collectivism is a cultural value that emphasizes the interrelationships among group members, highlighting the importance of the collective over individuals’ interests. Individuals are prone to valuing themselves depending on their belonging groups, such as family and community. This cultural value plays a role in tourism because it influences the tourists’ choices. For example, a destination is chosen if it offers entertaining experiences to share [56]. Similarly, tourists’ journey behaviors are prone to performing activities in groups [57,58]. Likewise, satisfaction [59] and loyalty [60] are subject to group, ecological, and social considerations. Finally, the primary sources of information in the decision-making process stem from the social resource [59].

The previous literature has delved into measuring the direct impact of collectivism on green purchase behavior [21,22,23,61]. Interestingly, Kim and Choi [21] found that the relationship between collectivism and green purchase behavior was not significant, contrary to expectations. Consequently, there seems to be no evidence supporting the direct impact of collectivism on green purchase behavior within the sustainable accommodation industry. However, in line with the findings of Sreen et al. [23] and Nguyen et al. [22], it is evident that collectivism significantly impacts subjective norms. Sreen et al. [23] concluded that individuals in collectivist societies are inclined to prioritize group goals over individual goals and consequently make decisions that align with societal norms. It is anticipated that individuals with higher levels of collectivism are more likely to adhere to group expectations and norms [61]. When sustainable accommodation options are positively perceived within their social circles, the social pressure to choose such accommodations becomes more compelling. Individuals with a solid collectivist nature are driven by the desire to act in ways that benefit the group, thus aligning their personal choices with collective expectations. Therefore, based on these premises, the following hypothesis is suggested:

Hypothesis 8 (H8). 

Collectivism positively influences subjective norms.

2.8. Power Distance

Power distance refers to the extent to which lower-ranking members of groups and organizations are willing to accept and expect unequal distribution of power [17]. It is worth noting that power distance moderates eco-friendly choices in tourism and environmentally friendly intentions [62], mainly in traditional cultures and through social norms [63]. Power distance promotes self-enhancement when environmentally friendly responses are advocated by authority and predominant figures [64]. Furthermore, power distance favors free choices in the context of possibly environmentally friendly alternatives [65]. Ecology is undoubtedly a sign of prestige and social status [25].

Individuals with a higher power distance tend to defer to authority figures and are more likely to follow norms and rules set by those in powerful positions. If sustainable tourist accommodations are promoted by influential figures such as environmental organizations or government leaders, individuals with high power distance are more likely to feel strong subjective norms when choosing sustainable tourist accommodations. These individuals are inclined to follow the guidelines suggested by high authority figures and comply with societal rules [66]. Therefore, we propose the following hypothesis:

Hypothesis 9 (H9). 

Power distance has a positive effect on subjective norms.

2.9. Masculinity

Masculinity is related to the values connected with the allocation of emotional gender roles within a community. Masculine societies emphasize assertiveness, competition, performance, accomplishment, and triumph [17]. Individuals with a higher degree of masculinity are more inclined to perceive themselves as possessing more excellent capability and resources to make environmentally friendly choices, especially if such decisions are framed as a means of showcasing personal leadership and public success because men are more environmentally knowledgeable than women [67]. No doubt, not only is there a commonality between the notions of perceived behavioral control and self-efficacy [68], (2022), but both concepts are determining factors of pro-environmental responses [69]. When men are concerned with environmental responses, it is felt as a valuable contribution. Men are less averse to taking risks [70], and they perceive more behavioral control regarding health responses [71]. Consequently, we propose the following hypothesis:

Hypothesis 10 (H10). 

Masculinity has a positive effect on the perceived behavioral control.

3. Methods

3.1. Sample and Data Collection

This study utilized a quantitative research paradigm to collect and analyze data, aligning with previous research on predictors of green purchasing behavior in the tourism industry [3,29,37]. We analyzed tourists’ green purchasing behavior in Spain, Norway, and Lithuania to capture a range of preferences and attitudes within European tourism. This selection of countries represents distinct cultural profiles, as they differ significantly across dimensions such as individualism, power distance, and uncertainty avoidance [72]. Norway has low power distance and high individualism; Spain is relatively high in power distance and uncertainty avoidance; and Lithuania has moderate scores across these dimensions, providing a broad spectrum of tourists’ attitudes toward autonomy, authority, and comfort. This diversity enabled us to analyze the unique attitudes and values these cultures bring to the choices of sustainable accommodations. Such cross-cultural variation allowed this study to capture how cultural values, per Hofstede’s dimensions (uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation, collectivism, power distance, and masculinity), shape tourists’ intentions and behaviors toward sustainable accommodation, thereby contributing to a comprehensive understanding of tourist behavior in the European market.

Data collection took place from December 2023 to June 2024, involving survey participants from Spain, Norway, and Lithuania who had engaged in holiday travel within the last 12 months. The focus on sustainable touristic accommodation led to the exclusion of individuals without recent overnight stay experiences. Participants from the three culturally diverse countries were recruited, and data were collected by the research company ‘Intraresearch’, resulting in 2038 responses. To ensure the quality and reliability of the collected data, we implemented specific criteria for evaluating the responses. Initially, we excluded respondents who completed the questionnaire in an unusually short period. Given that it would be impossible to thoughtfully engage with each item in a brief timeframe, these responses were deemed unrepresentative and removed from the data pool. Additionally, we eliminated respondents who selected the same answer across all items, suggesting a lack of engagement and attention to the survey content. The exclusion of non-committal responses is a standard practice in survey methodology aimed at preserving data integrity [73]. Including unengaged responses could have compromised the accuracy of our findings. After eliminating unengaged responses, 1855 valid responses were retained for further analysis.

A demographic profile of the research participants is provided in

Table 1. Demographics of respondents.

Variable		Frequency	Percentage
Gender	Female	1055	56.9
	Male	796	42.9
	Other	4	0.2
Age	18–29	371	20.0
	30–39	357	19.2
	40–49	409	22.0
	50–59	429	23.1
	60–99	289	15.6
Education	Primary or below	34	1.8
	Secondary or vocational	615	33.2
	University degree	723	39.0
	Postgraduate master’s	430	23.2
	Doctor	53	2.9
Occupation	Full-time employee	1198	64.6
	Part-time employee	205	11.1
	Student	129	7.0
	Other	323	17.4
Country of residence	Spain	477	25.7
	Norway	452	24.4
	Lithuania	923	49.9

. The gender distribution was skewed towards a higher proportion of women (56.9%), and most respondents fell within the 50–59 age range (23.1%). Most participants had attained a university degree (39.0%) and were predominantly full-time employees. Lithuania contributed the most significant proportion of responses (49.9%), followed by Spain (25.7%) and Norway (24.4%).

3.2. Measures

The measurement items for the latent constructs in our proposed model were carefully selected from prior studies (Appendix A) to ensure the use of valid measures. The measurement set comprised 52 items categorized into 10 variables, all assessed using a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (Strongly disagree) to 5 (Strongly agree). Green consumer behavior was operationalized using four items suggested by Bashir et al. [33]. In comparison, behavioral intentions were evaluated using a set of five items derived from Bashir et al. [33] and Ajzen [10]. The measurements for attitude were adapted from Han et al. [74], and the items assessing perceived behavioral control were adapted from Han et al. [74], Thevanes [75], and Ting et al. [76]. Additionally, subjective norms were measured using six items adapted from Ajzen [10], Han et al. [74], and Johe, Bhullar [77]. To capture individual cultural dimensions, we employed a 26-item CVSCALE developed by Yoo et al. [78], which assessed Hofstede’s cultural dimensions at the individual level. Besides the questions related to the constructs in the research model, respondents were also asked about their gender, age, education, and occupation.

The structured questionnaire was initially developed in English and then professionally translated into Spanish, Norwegian, and Lithuanian by native speakers with a strong command of the English language. A pilot study was conducted with a sample of 20 Lithuanians who had engaged in holiday travel in the preceding 12 months to assess the appropriateness of the questionnaire. The feedback obtained from the pilot study was used to review and refine the questionnaire.

3.3. Common Method Bias Assessment

After collecting data from a one-time survey, we checked for the possibility of a common method bias. We used a Harman single-factor test with principal component analysis and found that the variance explained by a single factor was only 32.179%, which is below the recommended threshold of 50% [79]. Therefore, we conclude that this study had no common method bias.

3.4. Data Analysis

In our study, we utilized partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to assess the influence of individual cultural values on the selection of sustainable touristic accommodations using aggregated data. PLS-SEM has emerged as a widely accepted method for examining intricate inter-relationships [46]. The decision to employ PLS-SEM was primarily motivated by the intricate nature of the conceptual model and this study’s emphasis on forecasting tourists’ behavior. The analysis was conducted using SmartPLS 4 software.

The measurement of the research model involved two key steps: evaluating the measurement (outer) model and assessing the structural (inner) model. To ensure the robustness of findings across countries and to avoid over-dependence on any one group’s responses, separate analyses were conducted by excluding one country at a time from the aggregated dataset. The SEM model produced similar results across different combinations, confirming that the dataset is stable and suitable for aggregated analysis.

4. Results

4.1. Measurement Model

In evaluating the measurement model, we carefully examined reliability and validity, as presented in

Table 2. The measurement model.

Constructs	Items	Loadings	AVE	CR	Cronbach’s Alpha
Attitude (AT)	AT1	0.832	0.703	0.943	0.929
	AT2	0.848
	AT3	0.858
	AT4	0.844
	AT5	0.782
	AT6	0.861
	AT7	0.841
Perceived behavioral control (PBC)	PBC1	0.820	0.678	0.863	0.764
	PBC2	0.793
	PBC3	0.856
Subjective norms (SN)	SN1	0.842	0.693	0.931	0.911
	SN2	0.847
	SN3	0.815
	SN4	0.863
	SN5	0.836
	SN6	0.792
Behavioral intention (BI)	BI1	0.823	0.759	0.940	0.920
	BI2	0.885
	BI3	0.896
	BI4	0.865
	BI5	0.884
Green consumer behavior (GCB)	GCB1	0.788	0.668	0.889	0.835
	GCB2	0.821
	GCB3	0.842
	GCB4	0.817
Power distance (PD)	PD2	0.795	0.708	0.906	0.863
	PD3	0.879
	PD4	0.861
	PD5	0.827
Uncertainty avoidance (UA)	UA2	0.747	0.642	0.877	0.813
	UA3	0.825
	UA4	0.812
	UA5	0.818
Collectivism (CO)	CO1	0.768	0.628	0.910	0.881
	CO2	0.759
	CO3	0.850
	CO4	0.824
	CO5	0.747
	CO6	0.803
Masculinity (MA)	MA1	0.880	0.767	0.908	0.848
	MA2	0.866
	MA3	0.880
Long-term orientation (LTO)	LTO1	0.778	0.719	0.927	0.904
	LTO2	0.853
	LTO3	0.897
	LTO4	0.890
	LTO6	0.816

. To ensure the robustness of the model, an item trimming process was implemented to identify items with low individual reliabilities. Consequently, four items (PD1, UA1, MA4, LTO5) were excluded due to their inadequate individual reliabilities. Following this removal process, the remaining indicators demonstrated reliability values greater than 0.7, indicating satisfactory indicator reliability [80]. Additionally, both Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability (CR) values surpassed the threshold of 0.7, affirming the internal consistency reliability of the model [80]. Convergent validity was assessed using the average variance extracted (AVE), with values exceeding 0.5, thus confirming the model’s convergent validity [80]. Based on these findings, we assert that the model fulfills the necessary conditions for convergent validity.

As part of assessing the discriminant validity of the measurement model, we applied the Fornell–Larcker criterion and the Heterotrait-monotrait (HTMT) criterion, following the recommendations of Ali et al. [80]. In assessing discriminant validity using the Fornell–Larcker criterion, the square root of the AVE must exceed the correlations between the latent variables [81]. In our study, the discriminant validity was effectively established as the square root of each latent variable demonstrated its validity (

Table 3. Discriminant validity of the research constructs.

	Constructs	AT	PBC	SN	BI	GCB	PD	UA	CO	MA	LTO
Fornell–Larcker criteria	AT	0.836
	PBC	0.739	0.824
	SN	0.709	0.740	0.833
	BI	0.810	0.749	0.805	0.871
	GCB	0.615	0.551	0.554	0.620	0.817
	PD	0.041	0.181	0.286	0.151	0.047	0.841
	UA	0.324	0.295	0.261	0.265	0.274	0.034	0.801
	CO	0.346	0.398	0.460	0.351	0.299	0.329	0.412	0.793
	MA	0.037	0.138	0.254	0.144	0.036	0.558	0.052	0.324	0.876
	LTO	−0.167	−0.077	−0.088	−0.179	−0.117	0.070	−0.015	0.054	0.077	0.848
HTMT ratio	PBC	0.862
	SN	0.770	0.879
	BI	0.875	0.880	0.879
	GCB	0.688	0.673	0.622	0.694
	PD	0.058	0.224	0.317	0.167	0.075
	UA	0.372	0.375	0.306	0.489	0.330	0.101
	CO	0.383	0.484	0.513	0.390	0.342	0.372	0.489
	MA	0.044	0.172	0.287	0.161	0.056	0.648	0.097	0.373
	LTO	0.172	0.100	0.105	0.184	0.123	0.094	0.061	0.098	0.102

). Notably, for instance, the measure for green consumer behavior exhibited a value of 0.694, surpassing the values of the other latent variables in their respective columns and rows.

HTMT ratio is considered a robust approach for discerning discriminant validity. In our analysis, no issues with validity were identified as the HTMT values were all below 0.9, as recommended by Gold et al. [82]. As illustrated in Table 3, all values conformed to the prescribed criteria, indicating that the measured constructs do not overlap, thus affirming the discriminant validity of the model.

4.2. Structural Model

The structural model was assessed to determine the relationships among the constructs in the research model. Initially, the model’s predictive power and predictive relevance were evaluated. The R² values of the dependent variables exceeded the typical threshold of 5%, except for Perceived Behavioral Control, which had only a single predictor, Masculinity (

Table 4. Coefficient of determination (R²) and Stone–Geisser test (Q²).

Construct	R2	Q2
Attitude	0.131	0.127
Perceived behavioral control	0.019	0.017
Subjective norms	0.232	0.229
Behavioral intention	0.770	0.152
Green consumer behavior	0.402	0.072

). The coefficient of determination for the primary dependent variable, green consumer behavior, was 0.402, indicating that intention explains 40.2% of the variance in behavior.

To analyze the predictive relevance of the model, a blind-folding procedure was conducted. Positive Q² indicator values suggested that the model predicts relevance for the dependent variables.

The significance of the structural parameters of the model was evaluated using a bootstrapping procedure with 5000 subsamples. The findings (

Table 5. Results of the structural model.

Hypothesis	Path	β	Lower CI	Higher CI	t Statistic	p Value
H1	Intention → Behavior	0.471	0.401	0.538	13.686	0.000
H2	Attitude → Intention	0.421	0.378	0.463	19.419	0.000
H3	Subjective norms → Intention	0.405	0.354	0.454	15.918	0.000
H4	Perceived behavioral control → Intention	0.138	0.089	0.185	5.576	0.000
H5	Perceived behavioral control → Behavior	0.199	0.131	0.269	5.712	0.000
H6	Uncertainty avoidance → Attitude	0.321	0.265	0.374	11.530	0.000
H7	Long-term orientation → Attitude	−0.162	−0.208	−0.120	7.131	0.000
H8	Collectivism → Subjective norms	0.411	0.361	0.459	16.288	0.000
H9	Power distance → Subjective norms	0.151	0.107	0.196	6.631	0.000
H10	Masculinity → Perceived behavioral control	0.138	0.091	0.189	5.568	0.000

) revealed that intentions exerted a positive and significant effect on green consumer behavior (β = 0.471; t = 13.686) (Table 5). Furthermore, the results indicated that the attitudes of tourists have the most substantial effect on the intention to stay in sustainable accommodation (β = 0.421; t = 19.419), followed by subjective norms (β = 0.405; t = 15.918) and perceived behavioral control (β = 0.138; t = 5.576).

In terms of predictors of attitude, the estimations suggested that uncertainty avoidance had a significant positive effect on attitude (β = 0.321; t = 11.530), while long-term orientation was expected to have a positive impact on attitude but exerted a significant negative effect (β = -0.162; t = 7.131). Additionally, collectivism (β = 0.411; t = 16.288) and power distance (β = 0.151; t = 6.631) were found to directly and significantly influence tourists’ subjective norms. Furthermore, the estimations revealed that perceived behavioral control was positively and significantly affected by masculinity (β = 0.138; t = 5.568).

5. Discussion

This study aimed to investigate the influence of individual cultural values, such as uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation, collectivism, power distance, and masculinity, on sustainable accommodation choices among tourists from Spain, Norway, and Lithuania. The results largely supported the applicability of the TPB in explaining sustainable accommodation choices. The first hypothesis, which sought to establish the relationship between behavioral intentions and actual behavior (H1), was confirmed by the research results, indicating that intentions were translated into actual behavior in the sustainable touristic accommodation industry. Additionally, the results confirmed the direct link between attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control on intentions (H2–H5), demonstrating the capability of traditional TPB constructs to explain green purchasing behavior in the sustainable touristic accommodation industry. This finding aligned with previous research conducted in other tourism markets [83].

In order to achieve the research aim, the conventional version of the TPB was found to be insufficient. Therefore, the extended version of TPB was applied to investigate the influence of cultural values on tourists’ behavior in selecting sustainable accommodation. The integration of cultural dimensions with TPB revealed the intricate impact of culture on green purchasing behavior. The hypothesis (H6) suggesting a positive influence of uncertainty avoidance on attitudes was supported. This implied that environment-friendly practices in Spain, Norway, and Lithuania may have become relatively familiar and institutionalized. Tourists with high uncertainty avoidance tended to perceive these practices positively as they represented a predictable and secure option, despite the familiarity of traditional alternatives. This finding holds particular relevance for countries such as Spain and Norway, where the promotion of sustainable tourism practices has been gaining momentum and is becoming integrated into broader cultural narratives [84,85].

Our research findings indicated a significant positive influence of collectivism and power distance on subjective norms. Specifically, our hypotheses H8 and H9, which proposed the impact of collectivism and power distance, were supported, with collectivism demonstrating a stronger effect. This suggested that individuals with a stronger collectivist orientation are more likely to adhere to societal expectations when making decisions regarding sustainable tourism accommodation. Our findings aligned with those of Nguyen et al. [22], who observed a similar relationship in the context of energy-efficient household appliances in Vietnam.

This study investigated the impact of masculinity on perceived behavioral control (H10). The favorable impact of masculinity on perceived behavioral control implied that individuals exhibiting strong masculine traits might possess greater confidence in their capacity to implement and regulate environmentally sustainable behaviors. This finding was consistent with the concept that masculine characteristics are associated with a perception of control and empowerment [86], even within the realm of sustainability.

This study anticipated a positive effect of long-term orientation on attitudes (H7). However, the research yielded unexpected findings that deviated from a previous study examining the impact of long-term orientation on attitudes towards green products among educated urban consumers in India, which found the relationship to be insignificant [23]. The negative relationship observed between long-term orientation and attitude might imply that tourists’ environmental concerns are overshadowed by personal long-term goals, such as career development or financial security. Furthermore, this study’s results suggested that sustainable accommodation may be perceived as small-scale, short-term, or even costly when compared to traditional options, potentially contributing to tourists’ negative attitudes.

The research findings made a significant theoretical contribution to the existing literature. This study utilized the TPB to examine tourists’ behavior in selecting sustainable accommodation. In addition to the conventional analytical constructs of TPB, such as attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, intention, and behavior, this study investigated the impact of individual cultural values, including power distance, uncertainty avoidance, collectivism, masculinity, and long-term orientation. These additional variables were selected due to the lack of empirical evidence on their influence on the green consumer behavior of tourists. As far as we are aware, this study represents the first effort to expand the original TPB constructs with cultural values and empirically evaluate them in the context of sustainable tourist accommodation in three European countries. The proposed expansion of the TPB model demonstrated that individual-level cultural dimensions can significantly influence tourists’ attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control, thereby impacting their intentions and behaviors related to green purchases. This contribution is noteworthy as it provides a personalized perspective on cultural influences, departing from nation-based cultural studies. The substantial effects of uncertainty avoidance, collectivism, and masculinity underscore the pivotal role of individual cultural values in elucidating consumer behavior.

This study’s findings have important practical implications for encouraging tourists to choose sustainable accommodation. In countries such as Spain, Norway, and Lithuania, providers of accommodation services and tourism boards should consider leveraging cultural dimensions to tailor green marketing strategies. For example, emphasizing the security and predictability of sustainable touristic accommodation may appeal to the target market of tourists with high uncertainty avoidance. Additionally, highlighting the social benefits of sustainable accommodations can resonate with collectivist tourists.

This study identifies several limitations that need to be addressed. First, the conducted analysis provided insights into the broader European context without offering specific insights for each country involved. Therefore, the research results should be interpreted as reflecting general trends rather than behaviors unique to specific nations.

Secondly, the focus on individual cultural values limited this study’s ability to uncover cross-national differences in the causal directions of the research variables. The empirical findings revealed a negative impact of individuals’ long-term orientation on attitude, contrary to expectations. Although we speculate that this negative relationship might be attributed to the high importance of personal long-term goals or the short-term value of sustainable accommodations, variations in this relationship may exist across different countries. In future research, it is essential to investigate whether these differences are context-specific or reflective of a broader trend.

Thirdly, while this study integrated cultural values into the augmented TPB, it did not consider the role of green consumer values. Exploring the addition of green consumer values as mediators or moderators within the TPB model could provide insights into whether tourists with stronger green values are more inclined to choose sustainable accommodations while traveling.

Fourth, the quantitative paradigm chosen for this study limited the in-depth analysis of the reasons underlying the identified relationships. Therefore, future research could benefit from adopting a qualitative approach alongside the quantitative one to gain a deeper understanding of tourists’ views and opinions on choosing sustainable touristic accommodation. Complementing the quantitative findings with qualitative research could help clarify and explain the causality of the tested constructs.

6. Conclusions

This study sought to expand the well-established TPB framework by incorporating additional cultural variables, including power distance, uncertainty avoidance, collectivism, masculinity, and long-term orientation. Focusing on tourists from culturally distinct countries such as Spain, Norway, and Lithuania, the research developed a customized model that elucidated green purchasing behavior in the context of sustainable touristic accommodations. The findings affirmed the robustness of the TPB framework in explaining sustainable accommodation choices, with attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control significantly influencing tourists’ intentions and subsequently predicting their actual behavior. These results underscore the importance of fostering positive attitudes, reinforcing social norms, and enhancing perceived control to promote sustainable practices within the tourism industry.

Notably, the incorporation of individual-level cultural values into the TPB framework yielded discernible effects. This study revealed that uncertainty avoidance positively impacted attitudes toward sustainable accommodations, implying that tourists’ inclined toward predictability and risk aversion are more likely to develop favorable perceptions of sustainable stays. Furthermore, the results indicated a substantial relationship between collectivism and subjective norms, suggesting that individuals valuing group consensus and social harmony may be more susceptible to social pressures when making environmentally friendly choices. Additionally, this study found that power distance influenced subjective norms, indicating that hierarchical structures and authority also play a role in the tourism context. The positive association between masculinity and perceived behavioral control suggested that tourists with assertive and competitive traits feel a heightened sense of control over their sustainable accommodation choices. However, the unexpected finding that long-term orientation negatively influences tourists’ attitudes calls for further investigation. This result challenges the assumption that a long-term focus aligns with pro-environmental attitudes, suggesting that individuals with a strong long-term orientation may prioritize other long-term goals over immediate sustainable behavior.

In conclusion, this study emphasizes the significance of integrating individual cultural dimensions into behavioral models to comprehend consumer decisions related to sustainability. These findings offer valuable insights for researchers and practitioners, guiding the development of culturally tailored strategies and policies aimed at promoting sustainable accommodations for tourists during their overnight stays at destinations.