Corporate images and customer behavioral intentions in an environmentally certified context: Promoting environmental sustainability in the hospitality industry

Patricia Martínez,Ángel Herrero,Raquel Gómez‐López

doi:10.1002/csr.1754

Patricia Martínez, Ángel Herrero + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.1754

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Abstract

AbstractGrowing environmental awareness has made customers change their attitudes and increasingly demand that the hospitality industry provides products and services that are environmentally friendly. This sector faces increasing pressure to operate in a more ecofriendly manner given its negative influence on the natural environment. Extant research demonstrates that sustainable tourism can be promoted through environmental certifications. However, little attention has been paid to the relevance of customer perceptions about these schemes and their influence on customer behavioral intentions. So that, this study attempts to explore the conditions under which perceived green image leads to favorable customer behavioral intentions towards environmentally certified hotels by considering the mediating effects of functional and emotional images. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from hotel customers in Spain. The results indicate that green image serves as a predictor of functional image, which in turn is linked to customer behavioral intentions. This shows that the evaluation of environmental issues influences the assessment of cognitive aspects, although not the direct evaluation of affective aspects. Consequently, green image associations directly influence the cognitive responses of consumers but not their emotions. Therefore, consumers will evaluate a hotel's functional image not only by considering traditional attributes but also by taking into account environmental issues. These findings suggest that hotel companies should work to develop a green positioning strategy developing products and services possessing both greenness and high‐value attributes.

Highlights

Environmental sustainability has drawn great attention over the last decade (Hu et al, 2018) mainly because consumers today are more ecologically conscious than they were
It provides new evidence to support the mechanism through which the green image of hotel companies influences customer behavioral intentions
The specific beliefs of consumers about environmental issues are the determinants for the functional corporate image, which corresponds to the cognitive expression of customer attitude

Summary

Introduction

Environmental sustainability has drawn great attention over the last decade (Hu et al, 2018) mainly because consumers today are more ecologically conscious than they were. Previous studies have demonstrated that consumers support eco-friendly companies that consider a priority to develop environmental practices (Kang & Hur, 2012). This growing interest for green products and services has generated several changes in the tourism and hospitality businesses. With the object of reducing environmental degradation and involving consumers that are conscious about green issues, numerous companies are implementing environmental certification programs (Lee et al, 2017). “Greenwashing” is defined as “the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service” (TerraChoice, 2009, p.1)

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