Tourism management studies of the smart era

Tourism management studies of the smart era

The Impact of Training in Educational and Cultural Skills on Adolescents’ Attitudes and Participation in Local Tourism Development: A Case Study of Lorestan Waterfalls

Document Type : Original Article- original research

Authors
1 Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Department of Educational Research, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran.
10.22072/tmsse.2025.2076055.1080
Abstract
This study investigated the effect of educational programs focused on environmental–ethical responsibility and cultural skills on adolescents’ attitudes and participation in sustainable local tourism. Based on Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory, the results indicated that targeted training enhances adolescents’ cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral capacities for effective engagement in sustainable tourism development. A mixed-methods sequential explanatory design was employed with 200 adolescents (aged 14–18) from Khorramabad and Doroud, selected via stratified random sampling. Instruments included a standardized sustainable tourism attitude questionnaire (Cronbach’s α = 0.85) and semi-structured interviews with 30 participants until theoretical saturation, analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) thematic method. The intervention consisted of eight two-hour workshops over three months, focusing on environmental protection and reinforcing local identity and hosting culture. Quantitative results showed significant attitude improvement (t = 12.45, p < 0.001), with educational (β = 0.42, p < 0.01) and cultural skills (β = 0.38, p < 0.01) predicting participation (R² = 0.45). The qualitative analysis also extracted 11 main themes, of which three dominant themes were identified: awareness of and pride in local cultural identity (reported in 87% of the interviews), a sense of environmental responsibility (80% of the interviews), and strengthening the sense of belonging and hospitality (83% of the interviews). Bandura-based education empowers adolescents as change agents in Lorestan's sustainable tourism.
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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 20 February 2026