Does Mental Health influence the purchase intention of Rural Tourism?

Abstract

Rural tourism has been increasing during the last decade. The continuous investment and effort applied to its development accentuates the need to further comprehend the intentions of its visitors. Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, this research provides evidence on how perceived mental health, memory, and escapism influence the visiting intention of rural tourism in Portugal. The results using SEM-PLS on a survey of 191 respondents suggest that the moderating effect of perceived mental health affects visiting intention. The direct effects of memory, attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control also affect behavioral intention. The mediating role of visiting intention was also considered in the investigation.