Effects of Value-Belief-Norm Theory, ESG, and AI on Space Tourist Behavior for Sustainability With Three Types of Space Tourism

Myung Ja Kim*, C. Michael Hall, Ohbyung Kwon, and Kwonsang Sohn

Abstract

Since reusable launch vehicles have revolutionized access to space, space tourism has received enormous policy and research attention. However, such growth is occurring within a wider context of concerns over climate change, emissions, and space debris. Although the space industries have enormous environmental impacts, few studies have been undertaken on the sustainability of space tourism. Therefore, we aim to create and assess an extended value-beliefs-norms theory with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors, trust in artificial intelligence (AI), and the benefits of AI, in comparing three types of space tourism (Earth, suborbital, and orbital). To achieve the goals, multi-method analyses of 1,000 respondents were applied, including partial least squares-structural equation modeling, multi-group analysis, fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis, and deep learning. Results revealed that the extended value-belief-norm model well explains space tourist behavior, ESG also has significant roles on the research model, and the three types have unique characteristics.

Keywords: space tourism; artificial intelligence; environmental; social; and governance; fsQCA; deep learning; South Korea

Kim, M. J., Hall, C. M., Kwon, O., & Sohn, K. (2024). Effects of value-belief-norm theory, ESG, and AI on space tourist behavior for sustainability with three types of space tourism. Journal of Travel Research, 63(6), 1395-1410.