Bootstrapped DEA and Clustering Analysis of Eco-Efficiency in China’s Hotel Industry

Abstract

As one of the world’s largest and fastest growing industries, tourism is facing the challenge of balancing growth and eco-environmental protection. Taking tourism CO2 emissions as undesirable outputs, this research employs the bootstrapping data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach to measure the eco-efficiency of China’s hotel industry. Using a dataset consisting of 31 provinces in the period 2016–2019, the bootstrapping-based test validates that the technology exhibits variable returns to scale. The partitioning around medoids (PAM) algorithm, based on the bootstrap samples of eco-efficiency, clusters China’s hotel industry into two groups: Cluster 1 with Shandong as the representative medoid consists of half of the superior coastal provinces and half of the competitive inland provinces, while Cluster 2 is less efficient with Jiangsu as the representative medoid. Therefore, it is suggested that the China government conduct a survey of only Shandong and Jiangsu to approximately capture the key characteristics of the domestic hotel industry’s eco-efficiency in order to formulate appropriate sustainable development policies. Lastly, biased upward eco-efficiencies may provide incorrect information and misguide managerial and/or policy implications.

Eco-Efficiency and Energy Audit to Improve Environmental Performance: An Empirical Study of Hotels in Bali-Indonesia

“…This approach is consistent with empirical research conducted by Ceron et al (2004), Kelly and Williams (2007), Peng et al (2017), Qiu et al (2017). The company's orientation to the eco-efficiency system has a significant positive effect on environmental and economic performance (Li et al, 2022;Xia et al, 2018;Zhang et al, 2014). One of the main determinants of this positive relationship is the company's commitment to continue to pay attention to the ecoefficiency model as the orientation of its environmental strategy.…”

“…According to Zhang et al (2014), in the current hospitality sector, success in reducing energy costs can directly increase revenue without the need to increase room rates or increase hotel room sales. Li et al (2022) stated that in addition to financial and service benefits, energy efficiency is also a form of concern for environmental sustainability, which has an impact on social life. In the midst of the current issue of climate change and global warming, the form of concern for the environment that is applied in environmental performance can improve the hotel's image in the eyes of tourism actors or business people.…”

“…Xia et al (2018) research show how the integration of control systems into key building services (air conditioning, lighting, electricity, and water) can play an important role in achieving energy reduction targets set by the International Tourism Partnership while maintaining guest comfort. The hotel industry faces the challenge of reducing its carbon emissions by 66% by 2030 and 90% by 2050 in order to stay within the 2˚C threshold agreed at COP21, a United Nations Climate Change initiative (Li et al, 2022;Zhang et al, 2014).…”

“…Effective program evaluation assesses what has been achieved and provides input for decision-makers to take the next steps. By evaluating, the company will automatically increase the program's effectiveness and indirectly provide motivation for the company's internal parties, management and other stakeholders (Li et al, 2022).…”

Spatial-Temporal Characteristics and Driving Factors of the Eco-Efficiency of Tourist Hotels in China

“…The number of star-rated hotels in China increased from 6029 in 2000 to 10,003 in 2019, as shown in Figure 1 . During the research period of this paper, star-rated hotels in China have experienced the transformation from public ownership to private ownership and diversified mixed ownership, and the trajectory of economic development and its impact on the ecological environment were different from those of other countries, and they are representative [ 52 ]. In addition, the data of star-rated hotels are continuous, and the products and services of departments are independent.…”