The Low

This study first conceptualized and developed a reliable and valid scale to assess low-carbon tourism experience (LCTE) from the perspective of nature-based tourists. In Stage 1, a 66-item scale was developed using a series of qualitative methods. In Stage 2, 662 usable questionnaires were collected; in turn, confirmatory factor analysis was used to develop a 40-item reliable and valid scale consisting of seven constructs: sensory experience, affective experience, learning experience, sociocultural experience, behavioral experience, escapism experience, and prestige experience. In Stage 3, the cross-validation of this 40-item scale was verified by demonstrating moderate replication of the data using 466 and 523 respondents from forest- and wetland-based destinations, respectively. The application of this LCTE scale may provide guidance to tourists and managers alike for reducing the carbon emissions caused by tourism activities, thereby potentially contributing to sustainable tourism development. This study extends the theoretical LCTE framework into the operational realm of tourism management by rendering LCTE perceptible and assessable, which represents a significant contribution to the sustainable tourism literature