Abstract
Tourists find it hard to evaluate the advantages of a sustainable hotel and others may be even sceptical about sustainable tourism altogether. The study reported here was designed to investigate the associations between perceived benefits, perceived costs, and perceived value while booking a sustainable hotel. In addition, the moderating role of scepticism is assessed relating the paths linking the study variables. The study is based on an online survey carried out with1056 respondents in the USA. The results of structural equation modeling indicate that the perceived benefits, both authentic and environmental benefits were significantly influencing perceived value; and perceived value had a significant influence on booking intentions. The moderating effect of scepticism on authentic benefit perceptions with perceived value suggests that when respondents are sceptical about sustainability in general, it alters the relationship between authentic benefit perceptions and perceived value showing a negative impact. The study provides implications for sustainable hotel marketing by emphasising the need to understand how potential consumers perceive the sustainable product value and how this affects their booking intentions.
Highlights
As consumers are more aware about the global environmental issues more than ever sustainable hotels are not considered a niche product anymore
The results of structural equation modeling indicate that the perceived benefits, both authentic and environmental benefits were significantly influencing perceived value; and perceived value had a significant influence on booking intentions
The research sheds clear insights into the roles perceived value and perceived benefits derived from sustainability attributes and perceived costs play in the booking process
Summary
As consumers are more aware about the global environmental issues more than ever sustainable hotels are not considered a niche product anymore. A growing number of hotels actively implement sustainability actions to manage their impacts and meet changing customer expectations. It is a challenge to create a balance between meeting consumer expectations whilst managing the social, economic and environmental impacts of a hotel. Thorough understanding about the sustainability actions implemented by a hotel creates value perceptions by tourists [2]. The actual value (of a sustainable hotel) is truly a reflection by customers rather than by the company (hotel) itself [3] since this is translated into effective bookings and possibly loyalty by them
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