Small hotels and responsible tourism practice: Hoteliers’ perspectives

Abstract

Responsible tourism is embraced globally as one of the vectors to achieving the United Nations' 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through the Theory of Planned Behaviour, this article attempts to establish the understanding of responsible tourism among owners of small budget hotels in the Johannesburg West Rand Region, South Africa. The conclusion it reaches is that a general appreciation of responsible tourism does not translate into being responsible in daily operations. The paper proposes a ‘Best Responsible Tourism Model’, which identifies four ways that small hotels can be encouraged by the public sector to participate in responsible tourism, including education, economic motivation, marketing motivation and building social networks. Combined, these feed into the Theory of Planned Behaviour variations, normative beliefs, behavioural beliefs and control beliefs, which will determine the behaviour and perceptions of hoteliers on Responsible Tourism Practice. Participatory democracy should be adopted by hoteliers and other key responsible tourism actors to augment understanding and practice of responsible tourism in small hotels.