'Going green'! Exploring customer preference in the hotel industry

Abstract

Green management has become a new mandate for firms in all industries to use in their operational strategies. The hotel industry has long utilised environmentally friendly practises yet it has incorporated more actions in recent years due to consumer demand. This work offers an exploratory qualitative study of consumer perceptions about the importance of green management practises in purchase decisions for hotel stays. The sample includes hotel customers. Results suggest that green management practises do matter to a majority of customers. Other findings and directions for future research are included. 94 M.S.L. James et al.

Can hotels educate consumers about sustainability?

“…The most commonly cited barrier to more sustainable consumption is customers' perceptions that their efforts are not worthwhile without commensurate effort and commitment being demonstrated by companies (and governments), and of false sustainability claims made by companies about their services (Belz & Peattie, 2012). Our students' research corroborates the importance of the way in which hotel managements incorporate and integrate ''green'' management practices into their policies and day-to-day operations in ways that are perceived as authentic from both internal and external perspectives of their customers' experience (James et al, 2011). This strategy of embedding "a 360degree view of sustainability within the business model" (Deloitte's, 2010, p. 42) builds the 'green' image and reputation as integral to the overall customer experience.…”