Hotel Profiles Based on Environmental Management Practices: Evidence from a Study at an Alpine Destination

Federica Buffa, Mariangela Franch, Umberto Martini and Alessio Tamanini
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Federica Buffa: Department of Economics and Management, University of Trento, Via Inama 5, 38122 Trento, Italy
Mariangela Franch: Department of Economics and Management, University of Trento, Via Inama 5, 38122 Trento, Italy
Umberto Martini: Department of Economics and Management, University of Trento, Via Inama 5, 38122 Trento, Italy
Alessio Tamanini: Department of Economics and Management, University of Trento, Via Inama 5, 38122 Trento, Italy

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 12, 1-15

Abstract: This paper analyzes the investment in environmental management practices (EMPs) adopted by hotels within a community destination. The aim is twofold: (a) to understand whether hotels have changed their EMPs in the last ten years and, if so, how; (b) to analyze the link between hotels’ environmental commitment and propensity of collaboration among local stakeholders. The research, carried out in 2015, involved all the hotels ( N = 1.514) of Trentino, a community destination in the Italian Alps, through a CAWI survey (redemption rate 88.9%). The data analysis followed two steps: (1) frequency analysis to identify the EMPs adopted by hotels and to compare the data with the survey conducted in 2005; (2) multiple correspondence analysis and hierarchical ascendant cluster analysis to identify hotel profiles with different levels of environmental commitment. The results revealed new and original aspects of the propensities of hotels to invest in EMPs and identified three different environmental hotel profiles: not eco-friendly, proactive, and reactive. Proactive and reactive hotels have a greater propensity to invest in EMPs and to collaborate with the Destination Management Organisation and with other hotels. The research contributes to the scientific debate on EMP adoption and the extent to which stakeholder power and pressure influence the environmental sustainability strategies of hotels.

Keywords: environmental management practices; environmental commitment; environmental hotel profiles (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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