Are consumers influenced by the use of green practices in five-star hotels: an assessment of guest's revisit intentions, inclusive ratings and hotel performance

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to find out the influence of green practices used by the five-star hotels on the guest’s online hotel assessment and their revisit intentions. It also evaluated how the use of green practices by the hotels influenced the guest’s willingness to pay a premium price. Apart from the conventional hotel service attributes, this study also identified some new and innovative services offered by the hotels which have an overall effect on the guest’s revisit intentions. Design/methodology/approach This study applied focus group interviews from 12 hotel managers and accessed the hotel’s internal database to identify the latest and innovative service attributes offered by the hotels. The information regarding the green practices offered by the hotels was collected through TripAdvisor and LEED-IGBC website. It identified 10 independent and four dependent variables based on previous literature. Guest’s revisit intentions were measured on a five-point Likert scale. Data was analysed using a multi-step hierarchical regression model. Findings The use of green practices by the hotels revealed a positive and significant influence on the guest’s revisit-intentions and their intention to pay a premium price. It was also found that the use of new and innovative green practices has a positive influence on the guest’s overall online evaluation of the hotel. Practical implications This study suggests that the amalgamation of green practices along with the conventional service attributes may help in the incremental revisit and online hotel assessment intentions, which might be of use for the managers and hotel policymakers. Originality/value Although previous studies have explored the conventional hotel service attributes in the context of Indian Hotel industry, this is one of the first studies which discussed the influence of recent and emerging hotel service attributes on the guest’s revisit and pay a premium price intention. Moreover, the influence of green practices on the guest’s overall online evaluation of the five-star hotels in Delhi was discussed in this study which was not performed before.

How sustainable practices influence guests' willingness to pay a price premium in Fiji

“…Guests are becoming more concerned about the environment due to the rapid growth of health and environmental concerns which in turn, influence their purchasing behaviour (Han et al, 2011). Consumers constantly search for eco-friendly products to show their devotion to constructing a greener community (Grosbois and Fennell, 2022;Gupta et al, 2023). It has been demonstrated that implementing eco-friendly or sustainable strategies which have a long-lasting impact on customer loyalty can enhance an organisation's brand reputation and competitive edge (Gupta et al, 2023).…”

“…Consumers constantly search for eco-friendly products to show their devotion to constructing a greener community (Grosbois and Fennell, 2022;Gupta et al, 2023). It has been demonstrated that implementing eco-friendly or sustainable strategies which have a long-lasting impact on customer loyalty can enhance an organisation's brand reputation and competitive edge (Gupta et al, 2023). To differentiate their brand and recognition from many other competitors in the industry, many hotels in Fiji islands are now employing green or environmentally friendly administration procedures and incorporating ecological strategies and techniques as directed by the local government (World Travel and Tourism Council, Fiji, 2021).…”

“…According to earlier research (Kim and Kim, 2022), sustainable or green procedures significantly and favourably affect a resort's image and perception. Regarding the notion that hotel go-green initiatives benefit their guests' appreciation, some studies have investigated how guests reacted, including their behaviour and attitudes towards sustainable practices and their willingness to spend for sustainability initiatives (Gupta et al, 2023;Kuo et al, 2022;Modica et al, 2020). The findings also reveal that many guests prioritise their unique travel perspectives over sustainable practices.…”

“…There have been many previous studies on how environmentally friendly or green practices affect customer satisfaction, intention to return and word of mouth to peers and friends (Mao et al, 2022). However, more research is needed to determine whether consumers will pay a higher price (more money) for sustainable or green products/services since prior work is inconclusive (Gupta et al, 2023;Kim and Kim, 2022) especially in relation to the Fijian hotel industry. Specifically, this study investigates how environmentally friendly practices in the Fijian hospitality industry affect the behavioural intentions of guests (i.e.…”

“…Many hotel companies are developing unique eco-friendly or sustainable marketing techniques or implementing relatable strategies to appeal to the community's attitudes and their target customers as individuals are becoming more aware of the need to protect the ecosystem (Modica et al, 2020). Even though the protection of the environment in hotels has become a hot topic for many investigators, there is still a dearth of literature (Gupta et al, 2023;Modica et al, 2020) that acknowledges the impact of eco-friendly or green practices on visitor behaviour and attitudes, intention to return and intent to endorse these hotels in the perspective of Fijian resorts and hotels. This study assesses the effects of eco-friendly or sustainable practices at Fijian hotels and resorts on guest intentions to re-visit.…”