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

The intricate interplay between the physical characteristics of urban environments and tourists’ inclination towards responsible behavior is a critical, yet often under-examined, facet of sustainable tourism development. A groundbreaking study conducted in Macao, a global hub for high-density urban tourism, has sought to bridge this research gap by integrating objective measurements of the street-level visual environment with psychological evaluations of tourist behavior. The findings, published in Frontiers in Psychology, offer crucial insights into how the built environment directly influences visitor attitudes and intentions concerning sustainable tourism practices.

Key Findings: Visual Environment Shapes Tourist Perception and Behavior

The research, which employed a multimodal approach combining survey data and advanced street-level visual analysis, revealed significant correlations between the objective visual characteristics of Macao’s urban zones and tourists’ psychological evaluations. Specifically, areas with greater visual openness and greenery tended to be associated with more favorable destination images and higher levels of tourist satisfaction. Conversely, visually enclosed environments, characterized by dense building facades, were linked to increased perceived risk and less positive evaluations.

"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," the study abstract states. This highlights that positive experiences and appealing imagery foster a predisposition towards responsible actions, while negative perceptions, particularly those related to risk, detract from it. The study further noted that attitude emerged as the most significant predictor of responsible tourism behavioral intention, reinforcing its pivotal role in shaping how tourists choose to act.

Methodology: A Multimodal Approach

The study adopted a sophisticated multimodal design to capture the nuanced relationship between the urban environment and tourist behavior. This involved two primary components:

1. Survey-Based Behavioral Modeling: Data from 519 non-local visitors to Macao were collected through a structured questionnaire. This survey measured six latent constructs: destination image, perceived value, perceived risk, satisfaction, attitude, and responsible tourism behavioral intention. The data were analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) to understand the interrelationships between these psychological factors. A key aspect of the study was the conceptualization of "perceived risk" specifically within the context of high-density urban tourism, focusing on concerns related to congestion, crowding discomfort, and spatial complexity.

2. Street-Level Visual Analysis: To objectively quantify the urban environment, researchers utilized street view imagery (SVI) from Baidu Maps. Through deep learning-based semantic segmentation, three key visual indicators were derived:

   • Green View Index (GVI): The proportion of pixels classified as vegetation, indicating the presence of greenery.
   • Sky View Factor (SVF): The proportion of pixels classified as sky, representing visual openness.
   • Building Enclosure Index (BEI): The proportion of pixels classified as building facades, reflecting the degree of visual enclosure.

These objective visual metrics were then aggregated at the functional zone level to characterize the prevailing visual conditions of different areas within Macao. The study area was divided into three distinct zones: Zone A (Historic Heritage Zone), Zone B (Modern Entertainment Zone), and Zone C (Coastal and Natural Zone), each offering a unique visual and experiential profile.

Background Context: Macao’s Unique Urban Landscape

Macao, a Special Administrative Region of China, presents a compelling case study due to its exceptionally high population and tourist density within a small land area. Its tourism landscape is marked by a striking duality: the UNESCO-listed Historic Centre, characterized by narrow streets and dense historical architecture, stands in contrast to the sprawling modern entertainment districts dominated by high-rise resorts and meticulously engineered urban forms. This spatial heterogeneity creates a rich tapestry of visual environments, ranging from the visually enclosed heritage streets to the expansive, yet intensely developed, resort areas. This inherent contrast makes Macao an ideal setting to explore how varying urban visual densities might influence tourist perceptions and behaviors.

The study’s timing, with data collection spanning December 2023 to December 2024, captures post-pandemic tourism patterns, where younger demographics have shown increased travel mobility. The sample consisted of 519 non-local visitors, with a balanced gender distribution and a significant portion aged between 25 and 45 years. Notably, over 60% of respondents held a bachelor’s degree or higher, suggesting a well-educated sample, which, prior research indicates, may be more attuned to environmental issues.

Visual Environmental Characteristics of Macao’s Zones

The objective visual analysis revealed distinct characteristics across the three zones:

• Zone A (Historic Heritage Zone): This zone exhibited the highest Building Enclosure Index (BEI) at 42.5% and the lowest Sky View Factor (SVF) at 18.3%. This reflects a visually enclosed environment with limited sky visibility, typical of dense historical streetscapes. The Green View Index (GVI) was relatively low at 15.2%.
• Zone B (Modern Entertainment Zone): While also a built-up area, Zone B had a lower BEI (35.1%) than Zone A, indicating somewhat wider street profiles. However, it recorded the lowest GVI (12.4%), consistent with the highly engineered landscapes of integrated resorts. The SVF was higher than in Zone A, at 31.5%.
• Zone C (Coastal and Natural Zone): This zone stood out with significantly higher visual openness and natural presence. It boasted the highest GVI (36.8%) and SVF (45.2%), coupled with a markedly lower BEI (10.4%). This clearly differentiates it from the densely built urban areas.

These objective metrics were found to differ significantly across the zones, as confirmed by ANOVA tests (p < 0.001).

Alignment: Connecting the Visual to the Psychological

The study’s most innovative contribution lies in its attempt to align these objective visual metrics with the subjective psychological evaluations derived from the survey data. The zone-level descriptive comparison revealed compelling patterns:

• Positive Correlations: Higher GVI and SVF were positively correlated with destination image and satisfaction. This suggests that tourists tend to have a more favorable impression of destinations and experience greater satisfaction in areas that are greener and offer more open skies.
• Negative Correlations: The BEI showed negative correlations with destination image and satisfaction, indicating that visually enclosed environments were associated with less positive evaluations.
• Perceived Risk: A strong negative correlation was found between SVF and perceived risk (r = -0.68), and a positive correlation between BEI and perceived risk (r = 0.55). This implies that reduced visual openness and increased building enclosure are linked to higher perceptions of risk, likely related to congestion and spatial complexity in dense urban settings.

While these correlations are descriptive and do not establish causality, they strongly suggest that the physical visual context plays a significant role in shaping tourists’ overall experience and their willingness to engage in responsible behaviors. The study cautions that the relationship is contextual alignment rather than direct environmental causation, emphasizing that perceived risk does not unilaterally diminish destination image, particularly in historically significant areas.

Implications for Responsible Tourism

The findings carry significant implications for destination management and the promotion of responsible tourism, especially in high-density urban environments like Macao.

• Targeted Interventions: For visually enclosed heritage areas (like Zone A), where higher enclosure correlates with increased perceived risk, responsible tourism strategies could involve not only demand-side management (e.g., visitor flow control) but also subtle spatial interventions. These might include selective greening or preserving visual corridors to enhance comfort without compromising the heritage character.
• Leveraging Open Spaces: Zones with greater visual openness and greenery (like Zone C) appear to foster more positive evaluations. Destination managers can leverage these areas as experiential complements to denser urban cores, promoting relaxation and well-being.
• Integrating Environmental Context: The study underscores the need for responsible tourism initiatives to acknowledge and integrate the physical and visual context of the destination. This means moving beyond purely educational campaigns to consider how the built environment itself influences tourist perceptions and behaviors.
• Methodological Advancements: The research pioneers a method for combining objective environmental data with subjective behavioral models in tourism studies. This multimodal approach offers a more comprehensive understanding of tourism dynamics and can be replicated in other urban destinations.

Limitations and Future Directions

The researchers acknowledge several limitations. The visual indicators were aggregated at the functional zone level, meaning they represent general patterns rather than individual exposure. The street view imagery lacked precise temporal metadata (date, season, time of day), which could influence vegetation density. Furthermore, formal multi-group invariance testing was not conducted, meaning cross-zone comparisons are descriptive.

Future research could build upon this foundation by incorporating longitudinal data, individual mobility tracking, and multilevel modeling to better understand how environmental exposure interacts with attitudinal development over time. Expanding the analysis to include other sensory dimensions such as soundscapes, thermal comfort, and perceived crowding intensity could further enrich our understanding of how complex urban environments shape responsible tourism behavior.

Conclusion

This study provides compelling evidence that the visual characteristics of an urban environment are intrinsically linked to tourists’ psychological evaluations and their propensity for responsible tourism behavior. By demonstrating a clear alignment between objective measures of urban visual density and subjective tourist perceptions in Macao, the research offers a nuanced understanding of how physical contexts shape traveler attitudes. The findings reinforce the critical role of attitude as a mediator in the pathway to responsible tourism intention and highlight the importance of considering the interplay between urban design, visual perception, and sustainable tourism practices in densely populated tourist destinations worldwide. This multimodal approach not only advances academic understanding but also offers practical guidance for urban planners and tourism managers striving to foster more sustainable and enjoyable travel experiences.