Green Material & Process and Green Packaging as Drivers of Tourists' Sustainable Purchase Intention: Evidence from a PLS-SEM Study in Lake Toba, Indonesia

Poltak Pardamean Simarmata; Doris Yolanda Saragih; Hengki Mangirng Parulian Simarmata

doi:10.55606/makreju.v4i3.4450

Authors

Poltak Pardamean Simarmata Politeknik Bisnis Indonesia
Doris Yolanda Saragih dorisyolandasaragih@gmail.com
Hengki Mangirng Parulian Simarmata Politeknik Bisnis Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55606/makreju.v4i3.4450

Keywords:

Green Material & Process, Green Packaging, Lake Toba, Sustainable Purchase Intention, Sustainable Tourism

Abstract

Growing environmental awareness has encouraged tourism destinations to adopt environmentally responsible production practices and sustainable packaging to promote sustainable consumption. However, empirical evidence explaining the simultaneous effects of Green Material & Process and Green Packaging on tourists’ sustainable purchase intention remains limited, particularly in emerging tourism destinations. This study investigated how these two green marketing dimensions influence tourists’ sustainable purchase intention in Lake Toba, Indonesia. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted using data collected from 306 tourists, and the proposed relationships were analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The measurement model demonstrated satisfactory reliability and validity (Composite Reliability = 0.850–0.928; AVE = 0.532–0.722), while the structural model exhibited substantial explanatory power (R² = 0.699; SRMR = 0.067; NFI = 0.832). The results indicated that both Green Material & Process and Green Packaging positively and significantly influenced Sustainable Purchase Intention. Green Packaging exerted the strongest effect (β = 0.662, t = 10.988, p < 0.001), whereas Green Material & Process also showed a significant positive effect (β = 0.207, t = 3.321, p = 0.001). These findings suggest that environmentally responsible packaging plays a more influential role than sustainable production practices in encouraging tourists’ sustainable purchasing decisions. The study was limited to tourists visiting a single destination and employed a cross-sectional design, which may restrict the generalizability and causal interpretation of the findings. Nevertheless, this research extends the sustainable tourism and green marketing literature by providing integrated empirical evidence on the relative importance of sustainable production practices and environmentally friendly packaging in shaping tourists’ sustainable purchase intention. The findings also offer practical guidance for destination managers, local SMEs, and policymakers seeking to strengthen sustainable consumption through environmentally responsible product development and packaging strategies.

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