Do Pro-environmental Appeals Trigger Pro-environmental Behavior in Hotel Guests?. (November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Dolnicar, Sara; Knezevic Cvelbar, Ljubica; Grün, Bettina
• Is Part Of: Journal of travel research. Volume 56:Number 8(2017)
• Page Start: 988
• Page End: 997
• Publication Date: 2017-11
• Subjects: pro-environmental behavior -- pro-environmental appeal -- hotel -- towel reuse -- electricity use; Travel -- Research -- Periodicals; Tourism -- Periodicals; Tourism -- Research -- Periodicals; 910.72
• DOI: 10.1177/0047287516678089
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0047-2875

Abstract

Appeals to people's pro-environmental values have been shown to trigger pro-environmental behavior across a range of contexts. The present study tests the potential of such interventions in a hedonic context where behavioral change does not generate utilitarian benefits (tourism). Results from a field experiment in a four-star hotel in Slovenia indicate that appeals to people's pro-environmental values fail to significantly increase tourists' hotel towel reuse and decrease room electricity consumption, suggesting that interventions in hedonic contexts—such as tourism—may require the use of more tangible benefits in order to change behavior.