Impact of sustainability communication on German tourists’ willingness to pay for a Finnish cottage holiday

Abstract

ABSTRACT Using the contingent valuation method, this study examines the determinants of German tourists’ willingness to pay for accommodation in a Finnish holiday cottage. A particular focus is on the communication of credentials relating to three dimensions of sustainability (environmental, socio-cultural, and economic). The results suggest that there are significant differences in how tourists value the different sustainability attributes of their accommodation. The environmental dimension was the only sustainability dimension to have a positive and statistically significant effect on tourists’ willingness to pay. In terms of tourists’ demographic characteristics, meanwhile, employment status was the only socio-demographic factor to have a significant effect on the tourists’ willingness to pay. The managerial implications include investing in, and actively communicating, environmental sustainability features as part of a successful business strategy for Finnish cottage service providers targeting German tourists.