Sustainability as a Competitive Advantage: Branding and Marketing Green Hospitality
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12725/ujbm.71.3Keywords:
Sustainability, green marketing, green trust, green loyalty, SEM, hospitality branding, customer retentionAbstract
In today's world, where people are more conscious about the environment, making eco-friendly choices impacts consumer’s buying behaviour, especially in the hospitality sector. The individual choices for preferring a product based on how the company is giving priority for the sustainability. It seeks to define how green branding and marketing can create trust and loyalty and with it enhance competitive advantage. This study uses data gathered through a structured questionnaire from 100 hotel customers in India. It employs Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) through WarpPLS 7.0 to assess the association between green image, green trust, green satisfaction, and green loyalty. The findings suggest that green image and green trust positively influence green satisfaction while green satisfaction enhances green loyalty. The paper underlines the marketing importance of sustainable branding for hotels and provides strategies for elevating consumers green satisfaction and loyalty to genuine green image and trust of the product.
References
Asgharian, R., Salehi, M., Saleki, Z. S., Hojabri, R., & Nikkheslat, M. (2012). (2012). Green product quality, green customer satisfaction, and green cus- tomer loyalty. International Journal of Research in Management & Technology (IJRMT), 2(5),(499– 503).
Bansal, P. S. P. (2023). Tourism innovations an international journal of Indian tourism and hospitality congress. Guarav book center.
Boccia, F., & Tohidi, A. (2024). Analysis of green word-of-mouth advertising behavior of organic food consumers. Appetite, 198, 107324. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APPET.2024.107324
Budarma, I. K., Astawa, I. K., Widhari, C. I. S., & Erawati, N. M. R. (2020). Competitive Advantage of Green Hospitality Business Practices in 5 Star Hotels in Bali. Technium Social Sciences Journal, 13(1), 420–431. https://ideas.repec.org/a/tec/journl/v
y2020i1p420-431.html
Butler, R.W. (1992). Alternative tourism: the thin end of the wedge. In: Smith, V. and Eadington, W. (eds). Tourism Alternatives: Potentials and Problems in the Development of Tourism.
Chang, C.H. and Tu, C.Y. (2005) Exploring Store Image, Customer Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty Relationship: Evidence from Taiwanese Hypermarket Industry. (n.d.). Journal of American Academy of Business, 7, 197-202.
Chen, C.-F., & Tsai, D. (2007). How Destination Image and Evaluative Factors Affect Behavioral intentions? Tourism Management, 28(4), 1115–1122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tour man.2006.07.007
Chen, Y. S. (2010). The drivers of green brand equity: Green brand image, green satisfaction, and green trust. Journal of Business Ethics, 93(2), 307–319. https://doi.org/10.1007/S10551-009-0223-9/METRICS
Ching-Yu Lien. (2012). The influence of green consumption cognition of consumers on behavioural intention - A case study of the restaurant service industry. AFRICAN JOURNAL of BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, 6(26). https://doi.org/10.5897/aj bm11.393
Chiou, J. and Pan, L. (2009). Chiou, J. and Pan, L. (2009), “Antecedents of internet retailing loyalty: differences between heavyversus light shoppers”, Journal of Business and Psychology, Vol. 24 No. 3, pp. 327-339.
Chrisjatmiko, K. (2018). Towards green loyalty: the influences of green perceived risk, green image, green trust and green satisfaction. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 106, 012085. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/106/1/012085
Cretu, A. E., & Brodie, R. J. (2007). The influence of brand image and company reputation where manufacturers market to small firms: A customer value perspective. Industrial Marketing Management, 36(2), 230–240. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.INDM ARMAN.2005.08.013
Cronin, J. J., Smith, J. S., Gleim, M. R., Ramirez, E., & Martinez, J. D. (2011). Green marketing strategies: an examination of stakeholders and the opportunities they present. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 39(1), 158–174. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-010-0227-0
Delgado‐Ballester, E., & Luis Munuera‐Alemán, J. (2005). Does Brand Trust Matter to Brand equity? Journal of Product & Brand Management, 14(3), 187–196.
Dellyana, D., Aldianto, L., Dellyana, D., & Aldianto, · L. (2024). Innovative Marketing Strategy for Green Products in Search of Better Customer Acquisition. 75–99. https://doi.org/10.1007/9 78-3-031-78361-6_4
Fred Reichheld, & Thomas A. Teal. (2001). The Loyalty Effect: The Hidden Force Behind Growth, Profits, and Lasting Value. Harvard business publishing education.
Gummesson, E. (1994). Service Management: An Evaluation and the Future. International Journal of Service Industry Management, 5(1), 77–96. https://doi.org/10.1108/09564239410051920
Hair, J.F., Black, W.C., Babin, B.J. and Anderson, R.E. (2010). Multivariate Data Analysis. 7th Edition, Pearson, New York. - References - Scientific Research Publishing. Www.scirp.org. https://www.scirp.org/reference/ReferencesPapers?ReferenceID=1841396
Han, H., Back, K.-J., & Barrett, B. (2009). Influencing factors on restaurant customers’ revisit intention: The roles of emotions and switching barriers. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 28(4), 563–572. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.20 09.03.005
Han, H., Hsu, L.-T. (Jane), & Lee, J.-S. (2009). Empirical investigation of the roles of attitudes toward green behaviors, overall image, gender, and age in hotel customers’ eco-friendly decision-making process. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 28(4), 519–528. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.20 09.02.004
Hartmann, P., Apaolaza Ibáñez, V., & Forcada Sainz, F. J. (2005). Green branding effects on attitude: functional versus emotional positioning strategies. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 23(1), 9–29. https://doi.org/10.1108/02634500510577447
Hsieh, Y. (Jerrie). (2012). Hotel companies’ environmental policies and practices: A content analysis of their web pages. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 24(1), 97–121. https://doi.org/10.1108/095961112
Hung, V. V., Dey, S. K., Vaculcikova, Z., & Anh, L. T. H. (2021). The Influence of Tourists’ Experience on Destination Loyalty: A Case Study of Hue City, Vietnam. Sustainability 2021, Vol. 13, Page 8889, 13(16), 8889. https://doi.org/10.3390/SU13168889
Hussain, K., & Waheed, A. (2016). Building green brand relations: the role of green brand image as significant driver. International Journal of Environment, Workplace and Employment, 4(2), 116. https://doi.org/10.1504/ijewe.2016.080447
Kamel, T. S., Shalabi, S. A. M., & Afify, G. M. (2024). Investigating the impact of green brand equity on brand loyalty: The mediating roles of green brand attachment, green trust, green brand attitude, and green brand image. Canadian International College. Retrieved from https://jsst.journals.ekb.eg/
Keller, K. L. (1993). Conceptualizing, Measuring, and Managing Customer-Based Brand Equity. Journal of Marketing, 57(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.2307/1252054
Koo, M., & Yang, S.-W. (2025). Likert-Type Scale. Encyclopedia , 5(1), 18. https://doi.org/10.3390/ENCYCLOPEDIA5010018
Kim, H., & Richardson, S. L. (2003). Motion picture impacts on destination images. Annals of Tourism Research, 30(1), 216–237.
Kock, N. (2015). Common method bias in PLS-SEM: A full collinearity assessment approach. International Journal of E-Collaboration, 11(4), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.4018/ijec.2015001 01
Králiková, A., Peruthová, A., & Ryglová, K. (2020). Impact of Desti- nation Image on Satisfaction and Loyalty. Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, 68(1), 199–209. https://doi.org/10.11118/actaun202068010199
Lavidge, R. J., & Steiner, G. A. (1961). A Model for Predictive Measurements of Advertising Effectiveness. Journal of Marketing, 25(6), 59–62. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1248516
Lee, J.-S., Hsu, L.-T. (Jane), Han, H., & Kim, Y. (2010). Understanding how consumers view green hotels: how a hotel’s green image can influence behavioural intentions. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 18(7), 901–914. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669581003777747
Manaktola, K., & Jauhari, V. (2017). Exploring consumer attitude and behaviour towards green practices in the lodging industry in India. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 19(5), 364–377. https://doi.org/10.1108/0959611 0710757534
Mansfeld, Y. (2001). Consumer Behavior in Travel and Tourism. Annals of Tourism Research. https://www.academia.edu/8738 8258/Consumer _Behavior_in_Travel_and_Tourism
Martinez, L. F., & Zeelenberg, M. (2015). Trust me (or not): Regret and disappointment in experimental economic games. Decision, 2(2), 118–126. https://doi.org/10.1037/DEC0000025
Millar, M., & Baloglu, S. (2011). Hotel Guests’ Preferences for Green Guest Room Attributes. Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, 52(3), 302–311. https://doi.org/10.1177/1938965511409031
Nguyen Thi Huyen, N., Duong Hong, H., & Hoang Thi, L. (2025). Green practices: Building green image and green trust for green revisit intentions in the hospitality industry. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 11(1), 100481. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JOITMC.2025.100481
Oliver, R. L. (2014). Satisfaction: A behavioral perspective on the consumer, Second edition. In Satisfaction: A Behavioral Perspective on the Consumer, Second Edition (2nd ed.). Taylor and Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315700892
Park, J.-W., Robertson, R., & Wu, C.-L. (2004). The effect of airline service quality on passengers’ behavioural intentions: a Korean case study. Journal of Air Transport Management, 10(6), 435–439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jairtraman.2004.06.001
Patricia Martínez García de Leaniz. (n.d.). Customer loyalty: Exploring its antecedents from a green marketing perspective. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management , 27(5).
Peattie, K., & Crane, A. (2005). Green marketing: legend, myth, farce or prophesy? Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, 8(4), 357–370.
Polonsky, M. J. (1994). An Introduction To Green Marketing. Electronic Green Journal, 1(2). https://doi.org/10.5070/g31201- 77
Robinot E. and Giannelloni J.L. (2010). Do Hotels’ Green Attributes Contribute to Customer Satisfaction, Journal of Services Marketing, Forthcoming.
S. Dick, K. Basu. (1994). Customer loyalty: toward an integrated conceptual framework J. Acad. Market. Sci., 22 (2) (1994), pp. 99-113.
S.W. Chan, E. (2013). Gap analysis of green hotel marketing. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 25(7), 1017–1048. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijchm-09-2012-0156
Shrivastava, P. (1995). Industrial/environmental crises and corporate social responsibility. The Journal of Socio-Economics, 24(1), 211–227. https://doi.org/10.1016/1053-5357(95)90036-5
Sirdeshmukh, D., Singh, J., & Sabol, B. (2002). Consumer trust, value, and loyalty in relational exchanges. Journal of Marketing, 66(1), 15–37. https://doi.org/10.1509/JMKG.66.1.15.18449
Sohaib, O., Alshemeili, A., & Bhatti, T. (2025). Exploring AI-enabled green marketing and green intention: An integrated PLS-SEM and NCA approach. Cleaner and Responsible Consumption, 17, 100269. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.CLRC.2025.100269
Stylidis, D., Woosnam, K. M., Ivkov, M., & Kim, S. S. (2020). Destination loyalty explained through place attachment, destination familiarity and destination image. International Journal of Tourism Research, 22(5). https://doi.org/10.1002/jtr. 2359
Tan, Z., Sadiq, B., Bashir, T., Mahmood, H., & Rasool, Y. (2022). Investigating the impact of green marketing components on purchase intention: The mediating role of brand image and brand trust. Sustainability, 14(10), 5939. https://doi.org/10.339 0/su14105939
Tscharntke, T., & Brandl, R. (2004). PLANT-INSECT INTERACTIONS IN FRAGMENTED LANDSCAPES. Annual Review of Entomology, 49(1), 405–430. https://doi.org/10.1146 /annurev.ento.49.061802.123339
Wang, J., Wang, S., Xue, H., Wang, Y., & Li, J. (2018). Green image and consumers’ word-of-mouth intention in the green hotel industry: The moderating effect of Millennials. Journal of Cleaner Production, 181, 426–436. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcl epro.2018.01.250
Wang, L., Wang, Z.-X., Zhang, Q., Jebbouri, A., & Wong, P. P. W. (2021). Consumers’ intention to visit green hotels – a goal-framing theory perspective. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2021.1977937
Wang, L., Zhang, Q., & Wong, P. P. W. (2022). Impact of Familiarity and Green Image on Satisfaction and Loyalty Among Young Green Hotels’ Guests – A Developing Country’s Perspective. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 899118. https://doi.org/10.3389/F PSYG.2022.899118
Waris, I., Suki, N. M., Ahmed, A., & Barkat, W. (2024). Environmental corporate social responsibility initiatives and green customer citizenship behavior in tourism industry: The mediating roles of green trust, customer–company identification and green corporate image. Social Responsibility Journal, 20(6), 1149–1170. https://doi.org/10.1108/SRJ-06-2023-0253
Williams, P., & Naumann, E. (2011). Customer satisfaction and business performance: a firm‐level analysis. Journal of Services Marketing, 25(1), 20–32. https:doi.org/10.1108/08876041111107 032
Yoo, M., & Bai, B. (2013). Customer loyalty marketing research: A comparative approach between hospitality and business journals. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 33(1), 166–177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2012.07.009
Yusof, J. Mohd., Musa, R., & Rahman, S. Abd. (2012). The Effects of Green Image of Retailers on Shopping Value and Store Loyalty. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 50, 710–721. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.08.074
Zeithaml, V. A., Berry, L. L., & Parasuraman, A. (1996). The behavioral consequences of service quality. Journal of Marketing, 60(2), 31–46. https://doi.org/10.2307/1251929
Zhang, N., Guo, M., Bu, X., & Jin, C. (2023). Understanding green loyalty: A literature review based on bibliometric-content analysis. Heliyon, 9(7), e18029. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.HELI YON.2023.E18029
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Sindhu George
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
