Shaping Ecotourism Travel Intentions: The Role of Social Media and Destination Image Among Filipino Gen Z

Abstract

This study investigates how social media influences Generation Z tourists’ attitudes toward ecotourism and environmental sustainability, and how these attitudes affect destination image and travel intentions in the Philippine context. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior and destination image theory, ecotourism is framed not only as nature-based and community-oriented but also as a contested concept with environmental and socio-cultural implications. Data from 341 Filipino Gen Z respondents were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Findings show that social media use for travel information search positively shapes sustainability and ecotourism attitudes, while general social media use intensity shows no significant effect Destination image emerges as a strong predictor of travel intention. Findings show that social media use for travel information search positively shapes sustainability and ecotourism attitudes, while general social media use intensity shows no significant effect.