Stakeholder Differences in Valued Hotel Green Practices

Jorge Julião (), Inês Monteiro, Marcelo Gaspar and Maria Alice Trindade
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Jorge Julião: Research Centre in Management and Economics, Católica Porto Business School, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal
Inês Monteiro: Católica Porto Business School, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, 4169-005 Porto, Portugal
Marcelo Gaspar: CDRSP, Centre for Rapid and Sustainable Product Development, Polytechnic University of Leiria, School of Management and Technology, 2430-028 Leiria, Portugal
Maria Alice Trindade: Information and Operations Management Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-20

Abstract: This paper aims to compare the perceptions of hotel customers and hotel staff regarding the value of green hotel attributes. By examining both stakeholder groups, the study addresses a gap in sustainable hospitality research, which largely overlooks employee perspectives in favour of customer preferences. An exploratory, cross-sectional survey was conducted using structured questionnaires, administered to hotel guests ( n = 307) and hotel staff (n = 89) in Porto, Portugal. Respondents rated 15 green hotel attributes using a five-point Likert scale. Demographic data were also collected to analyse perceptual differences across gender, age, income, and education. The results revealed that both customers and staff exhibited environmental awareness, though their prioritisation of specific green practices differed. Customers tended to value visible environmental measures, such as recycling bins, energy-saving light bulbs, and renewable energy signage, while staff placed greater emphasis on operational sustainability aspects, including low-flow plumbing fixtures, refillable soap dispensers, and durable goods used in service areas. These differences reflect the stakeholders’ distinct roles and experiences within the hotel ecosystem. This study enriches the discourse on sustainable hospitality by providing a dual-stakeholder analysis of green hotel attributes using a shared evaluative framework. The findings offer practical insights for hotel managers aligning sustainability strategies with the expectations of both guests and employees, supporting more effective and inclusive green implementation in the lodging sector.

Keywords: sustainable hospitality; sustainable tourism; green hotel practices; stakeholder perceptions; environmental awareness; green hotels (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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