Forest bathing (Shinrin-Yoku) is a form of mindful nature immersion that originated in Japan and has proven to be very beneficial physiologically and psychologically. Nevertheless, its potential to promote low-carbon tourism behavior due to psychological spillover effects has not been well investigated. This research examines how forest bathing motivations (Wellness/Egoistic and Nature/Biospheric) influence low-carbon tourism behavior and revisit intention through ecological awareness and connectedness to nature using an adapted value-belief-norm framework. Data were collected from 400 tourists who participated in guided forest bathing sessions at certified Shinrin-Yoku trails across four regions of Thailand between 1 February and 20 March, 2026. The sample consisted entirely of Thai domestic tourists, with 63.8 % being first-time participants. A cross-sectional, on-site survey design was employed. Data analysis was conducted using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) with AMOS 29. Common method bias was assessed using Harman’s single-factor test, and all the hypotheses were supported. Wellness motivation had the strongest influence on connectedness to nature and directly impacted low-carbon tourism behavior, indicating a clear health-to-environment spillover effect. Furthermore, low-carbon tourism behavior significantly predicted revisit intention, suggesting that sustainable practices enhance future engagement. Overall, the model demonstrated excellent fit indices, confirming its robustness and validity. Low-carbon tourism behavior significantly predicted revisit intention. Forest bathing is an efficient avenue toward sustainable tourism behavior, irrespective of the initial motivation type. The results confirm the importance of affective and cognitive processes in facilitating environmentally responsible behavior and have practical implications for the development and policy of ecotourism.

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