Work

Exploring the relationship between urban visual density and responsible tourism behavior: a multimodal study of Macao

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Introduction: Understanding responsible tourism behavior in high-density urban destinations is critical for sustainable tourism development. However, limited research has examined how tourists' psychological evaluations are situated within objectively measured urban visual environments. Methods: This study adopted a multimodal design combining survey-based behavioral modeling and street-level visual analysis in Macao. Survey data from 519 non-local visitors were analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modeling to examine relationships among destination image, perceived value, perceived risk, satisfaction, attitude, and responsible tourism behavioral intention. Street-level visual indicators, including the Green View Index, Sky View Factor, and Building Enclosure Index, were derived from street view imagery using deep learning-based semantic segmentation and summarized at the functional zone level. Results: Destination image, perceived value, and satisfaction were positively associated with attitudes toward responsible tourism behavior, whereas perceived risk is negatively associated with satisfaction and attitude. A zone-level descriptive comparison further suggested that visually open and green environments tended to coincide with more favorable destination evaluations, while visually enclosed environments aligned with higher perceived risk. Discussion: These findings highlight the importance of environmental context in understanding responsible tourism behavior in high-density urban destinations. The observed relationships should be interpreted as contextual alignment rather than evidence of independent environmental effects or formal cross-zone causal inference.

Source: Frontiers in Psychology

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1783451

Authors: Youcheng Wang, Haoran Lyu, Yixi Wu, Yifei Ouyang

Institutions: City University of Macau, Nanfang College Guangzhou

Language: English

Topic: Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,801