Keywords:
sensing
seizing
learning
economic factor
legal factor
technological factor

  • Abstract

    Eco-tourism destinations in developing countries operate in volatile environments where economic, legal, social, and technological factors can significantly influence their sustainability. The purpose of the study was to examine the moderating role of dynamic capabilities in the relationship between environmental forces and the sustainability of eco-tourism destinations in a developing country like Nigeria. Theoretically, this study was anchored on dynamic capability theory, and a quantitative approach was employed, using a structured survey to gather data from a sample of 285 staff across 50 Nigerian eco-tourism destinations. The data analysis utilised Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The output of the robustness test carried out in the study indicates that both structural and measurement models are valid; hence, the study is reliable and generalisable. Results showed that economic, legal, and technological forces significantly affect the sustainability of eco-tourism destinations. Further analysis of the moderating effects indicated that dynamic capabilities such as sensing, seizing, learning, and configuration positively moderate this relationship, enabling eco-tourism destinations to better adapt to external pressures and uncertainty. Practically, the study highlights that the growth of eco-tourism destinations depends on whether environmental forces exert a positive or negative influence. It also demonstrates that eco-tourism destinations can utilise their dynamic capabilities, such as market intelligence, developing an innovative culture, and forming strategic partnerships, to respond effectively to these environmental forces. Notably, market intelligence can enhance the capacity to identify market opportunities, seize emerging trends, and reconfigure resources to capitalise on growth potential through an innovative culture. The primary theoretical contribution of this research is explaining how environmental forces impact eco-tourism competitiveness and ecosystem development. The originality of this study lies in its empirical validation of the moderating role of dynamic capabilities in the influence of environmental forces on the sustainability of eco-tourism destinations within a developing country context.

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Morgan, M. O., Uwah, I. E., Okon, E., Okongo, J. N., & Ogar, G. W. (2025). Moderating role of dynamic capabilities on environmental forces influencing the sustainability of eco-tourism destinations in developing countries. Multidisciplinary Reviews, 9(5), 2026236. https://doi.org/10.31893/multirev.2026236
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