Research Framework Built Natural-Based Solutions (NBSs) as Green Hotels

Abstract

In this study, value-belief-norm (VBN) theory and the social exchange theory (SET) were applied to predict hotel customers’ pro-environmental responsibility behavior intention (PRBI) for the characteristics of NBSs in green hotels—specifically, to investigate the relationship between NBSs as green hotel and PRBI, and to test its mediating effect on pro-environmental perceived (PPV), pro-environmental perceived belief (PPVBE), personal pro-environmental norms (PPN), attitude toward environmental behavior (ATEB), mental health (MH), well-being (WB), and satisfaction (SA) and the moderating effect of locations (urban, rural) among these variables toward pro-environmental responsibility behavior intention (PRBI). Data were collected using a survey of 440 customers who had visited green hotels in the Republic of Korea within the last 12 months. We used to test the research hypotheses by structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings generally supported the hypothesized associations between variables within our proposed theoretical framework and confirmed the moderating effect of location. The study’s results have important theoretical and practical implications for the environment. We investigated the relationship between the characteristics of NBSs and PRBI of green hotels, and we investigated the relationship between psychological state, attitude, and behavior of green hotel customers by applying variables suitable for ART, SET, and VBN. In addition, we verified the moderating effect of customers’ green behavior and attitudes toward green hotels located in urban and rural areas. Moreover, these findings herein may encourage green hotels to participate in preventing environmental problems. It provides primary data on customers’ perception of ecofriendliness in establishing corporate management strategies.