Influence of Hotel Green Energy Practices on Competitive Advantage of Hotels in Nyeri County, Kenya

Abstract

The hotel industry is one of the major economic segments to achieving the Kenya Vision 2030. The hotel sector is a significant contributor to GDP and a source of employment for thousands of Kenyans. However, many hotels have relied much on the quality of products as an avenue to achieving competitive advantage, disregarding the role of green energy influence on competitive advantage in the hotel sector. This study aimed to determine the influence of green energy practices on the competitive advantage of tourist hotels in Nyeri County. A cross-sectional survey design was employed to guide the study. The study population was 170 tourist hotels and nine government officers concerned with tourism. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires and interview schedules. A reliability test was employed to measure the questionnaire's consistency and adequacy by using the Cronbach alpha coefficient technique with only items of 0.70 and above selected. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic content analysis. A p-value of 0. 005 determined the overall significance of the study. The study revealed that green energy conservation practices and competitive advantage are significantly and positively related (β= 0.838, p=0.000). The study found that every unit change in energy conservation practices leads to an increase in competitive advantage. The study concluded that green energy practices reduce hotel operation costs, leading to a competitive advantage. The study recommends that hotels consider implementing energy conservation practices and using renewable energy, such as solar power. Keywords: Green energy practices, Competitive advantage, Hotels, Nyeri County, Kenya   &nbsp