ECO-CONSCIOUS TRAVELLERS AND THE RISE OF SUSTAINABLE FARM TOURISM: ABEHAVIOURALFINANCE PERSPECTIVE

The growing awareness of environmental sustainability has redefined global tourism trends, leading to the emergence of eco-conscious travelers who actively seek meaningful, nature- based, andresponsibletravel experiences.This
study explorestheintersection ofbehavioral finance and sustainable farm tourism by examining how travelers’ cognitive biases, risk preferences,andsocial
normsinfluencetheir willingnesstopayforeco-friendlyfarmtourism experiences. Usinga structuredquestionnaireanddata from100 eco-conscioustravelers,the study employs advanced statistical tools, including factor analysis, multiple regression, and cluster analysis, to uncover the behavioral and financial determinants of demand for sustainable farm tourism. The findings reveal that social norms and perceived financial viability significantly affect travelers’ willingness to pay, while cognitive biases and risk attitudes play secondary roles. Two traveler clusters emerged—eco-invested travelers and cautious value seekers— highlighting heterogeneity in behavioral and financial decisionmaking.Thestudyconcludesthatintegratingbehavioralinsightswithfinancialplannin gcan enhance the economic sustainability and market potential of farm tourism
enterprises. The results offer valuable implications for policymakers, investors, and entrepreneurs seeking to design effective strategies that align environmental ethics with financial viability in rural tourism development.