Green Practices as Antecedents of Tourists’ Perceived Value, Satisfaction and Loyalty: With Special Reference to Eco Hotels in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Hotels, as a resource-intensive industry, have caused massive harm to the environment. Thus, there has been a tremendous effort in creating “eco-friendly” awareness and initiating green practices in the hotel industry. However, how tourists perceive such green initiatives and the relationship between such initiatives and tourists‟ perception is not well established. By selecting “eco-friendly” awarded hotels in Sri Lanka and adopting the stakeholder theory perspective this study explores the said relationship using four variables: value perception of tourists, satisfaction, revisit intention, and readiness to spread positive word of mouth. Findings show a positive influencing role of green hotel practices on tourists‟ perceptions. Furthermore, it shows that tourists look beyond tangible demonstrations of “eco-friendly hotels” towards a higher aesthetic value that judges the greenness of hotels. Environmental recycling programs represent the most highly ranked initiative. Furthermore, energy efficiency, water-saving measures, and informational efforts have been identified as critical factors in attracting tourists.