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This exploratory study aims to examines the multidimensional aspects of perceived value (functional value, financial value, emotional value, social value, epistemic value and conditional value) in relation to purchase intention in ecotourism. The study evaluates the influence of trust and perceived risk as mediators on perceived value.

Data for this exploratory study stem from online survey responses of 314 participants and are analyzed using descriptive analyses, factor analyses and multiple regressions.

The study findings show that four significant predictors influence ecotourism purchase intention: emotional value, functional value, boredom alleviation value and epistemic value. Trust partially affects the relationship between perceived values and purchase intention. Meanwhile, there is no mediation effect of perceived risk in the relationship between perceived value and purchase intention. This study concludes that perceived values influence ecotourism purchase intention, with emotional value providing the strongest relation to purchase intention.

The sample is based on selected criteria for a convenient sampling technique instead of a random sampling technique. However, criteria are in accordance with other ecotourism studies.

While multidimensional perceived values have been examined before, few papers have provided support for the emotional value dimension in ecotourism.

The purpose of this paper is to suggest a shift in the tourism marketing paradigm away from economic profit priorities toward sustainability. The sustainability approach adopts a holistic, integrated view of marketing, considering social equity, environmental protection, and economic livability. The paper seeks to examine the evolving model for the tourism marketing environment.

The paradigm shift naturally occurs by tracing the evolution of marketing approaches from production, sales, and a consumer orientation toward marketing alternatives such as societal, causal, green, responsible, and relationship marketing. Adapting a living system theory to tourism marketing, a sustainable tourism marketing model integrates tourism into a larger holistic context and focuses on marketing a quality of life for all stakeholders in the system.

While alternative approaches to tourism marketing include societal consideration such as tourism impacts and environmental segmentation strategies, this paper considers the triple bottom line as more sustainable objectives in tourism marketing and adopts an integrated view on tourism marketing.

The model suggests a paradigm shift that needs to be explored further.

The paper illustrates how tourism marketing can be integrated into more sustainable urban marketing strategies.

Instead of viewing tourism as a separate for profit industry, the model suggests an integration of tourism into a holistic, sustainable, quality of life marketing approach of living communities.