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 Deliberate Ignorance Towards Green Tourism: The Role of Psychological Detachment investigates why some tourists consciously ignore green or sustainable tourism options, despite growing environmental awareness. The study introduces a novel framework by integrating three psychological theories—Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R), Cognitive Avoidance Theory (CAT), and Cognitive Load Theory (CLT)—to explain how external environmental stimuli influence tourists’ internal states and behavioral responses.

The research focuses on two key stimuli: information overload and environmental pessimism. Information overload refers to the overwhelming volume of sustainability-related messages that tourists may encounter, while pessimism reflects a belief that individual actions are insufficient to make a meaningful environmental impact. These factors are shown to lead to psychological detachment—a state of mental disengagement from environmental concerns. When tourists detach in this way, they are more likely to exhibit deliberate ignorance, which the study defines as a conscious choice to avoid or disregard available information on green tourism.

Using a quantitative approach, the study surveyed 180 domestic tourists in Malaysia, a country actively promoting sustainable tourism under its National Tourism Policy 2020–2030. PLS-SEM was used to analyse the data, and all seven hypothesised relationships were supported. The results confirmed that both information overload and pessimism significantly contribute to psychological detachment. In turn, this detachment mediates the relationship between these stimuli and tourists’ deliberate ignorance of green tourism options.

These findings carry important implications for tourism marketers and policymakers. First, the study warns against the risk of excessive or inconsistent green messaging, which can overwhelm audiences and trigger cognitive fatigue, ultimately reducing engagement. Second, it highlights the danger of practices like greenwashing (overstating sustainability claims) and green hushing (undercommunicating genuine sustainability efforts), both of which can foster mistrust and reinforce pessimistic attitudes toward green initiatives.

To counteract these effects, the study recommends a more strategic approach to green communication. This includes focusing on clarity, credibility, and conciseness in messaging. Visual tools such as infographics and simplified labelling can help reduce cognitive load and improve message retention. Tourism practitioners are encouraged to avoid sensationalism and instead provide transparent, evidence-based information about the environmental benefits of their offerings.

Additionally, the study emphasises the importance of educating tourists about the real-world impact of sustainable choices and the credibility of eco-labels and certifications. By addressing scepticism and rebuilding trust, stakeholders can reduce psychological detachment and encourage more responsible travel behaviour.

In conclusion, this research advances our understanding of the psychological mechanisms that lead some tourists to ignore green tourism options. By identifying the roles of information overload, pessimism, and psychological detachment in fostering deliberate ignorance, it offers a comprehensive framework for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers. The study recommends more effective, trust-building strategies in sustainable tourism marketing to bridge the gap between environmental awareness and responsible travel behaviour.

Dr Tiamiyu Tosin Ahmed
ºìÐÓÊÓƵ Business School
Email: @email 

Dr Nur Shazwani Rosli
ºìÐÓÊÓƵ Business School
Email: @email