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Nowadays travellers have an increasingly wide range of choices<\/strong> for their green holidays<\/strong>. A more detailed analysis<\/strong> of your guests<\/strong> is crucial for knowing your practical strategies<\/strong> and making your accommodation<\/strong> genuinely stand out<\/strong>. Here you can discover what drives travellers to opt for sustainable accommodation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n My dissertation<\/strong> project at the University of Lisbon<\/strong> focused on exactly this. After interviewing<\/strong> a sample of 10 eco-travellers<\/strong>\u00a0and 6 sustainable accommodation hosts<\/strong> coming from different countries<\/strong>: Belgium, USA, UK, France, Portugal, Pakistan, Brazil, Georgia, Russia, the Netherlands, and Italy; I identified 6 <\/strong>key steps or challenges<\/strong> that you as an eco-friendly accommodation host<\/strong> should take into consideration. Here you can find<\/strong> them:<\/p>\n It is challenging to define sustainability<\/strong> and understand what travellers<\/strong> consider sustainable. There are significant gaps<\/strong> in tourism demand<\/strong>. For example, there is often a difference between sustainable behavior in daily life<\/strong> and on vacation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Sustainability and sustainable tourism<\/strong><\/a> do not focus only on environmental<\/strong> aspects. Moreover, social<\/strong> and economic<\/strong> characteristics, like economic prosperity and social equity, are also important. Travellers want to transform their travelling ways to maximise<\/strong> environmental and social conditions, minimizing<\/strong> their ecological footprint<\/strong>. The most highlighted aspects by green travellers about sustainability are:<\/p>\n Develop projects<\/strong> in your sustainable accommodation that involve People<\/strong>, Planet<\/strong> & Profit<\/strong>. Do not forget social<\/strong> factors!<\/p>\n There is no consensus on the definition of sustainable accommodation<\/strong><\/a>. The term is frequently used as synonymous with eco-friendly<\/strong> accommodation considering primarily environmental<\/strong> aspects. Conversely, green travellers<\/strong> stay in a sustainable accommodation because they want to travel with a good purpose<\/strong>, reducing the negative impact<\/strong> on the environment as much as possible, buying local<\/strong>, using public<\/strong> transports, and empowering<\/strong> local people<\/strong>.<\/p>\n As for the meaning of sustainable accommodation<\/strong>, the most recurrent points are: being an establishment run by local people<\/strong>, mainly located close to nature<\/strong>, that tries to reduce waste<\/strong>, recycling<\/strong>, taking care of the heritage<\/strong> of the place, creating a network<\/strong> between guests<\/strong>, local community<\/strong>, local suppliers<\/strong> and local services<\/strong> without harming the environment<\/strong> and the society<\/strong>. The focus should rather be on both environmental and social projects<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Take care of your sustainable accommodation features and sustainability aspects. Try to understand<\/strong> what your guests<\/strong> value the most!<\/p>\n How can travellers Attitudes<\/strong> influence the choice<\/strong> of sustainable accommodation?<\/p>\n Attitudes play an essential role in the context of sustainable tourism<\/strong>. Notably, sustainable behavior is more likely to occur when people have a positive attitude<\/strong> towards environmental<\/strong> issues. Customers who have positive attitudes towards sustainable behavior in their daily lives<\/strong> are willing to choose a sustainable accommodation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n You can benefit strategically<\/strong> from increasing your understanding<\/strong> of travellers’ attitudes<\/strong> towards sustainability. Focus<\/strong> on your services<\/strong> and your communication<\/strong> strategies. Avoid wasting resources<\/strong>, contribute to the local<\/strong> community, and look from a different perspective<\/strong>. Inform your audience<\/strong> about how you manage<\/strong> your profits<\/strong> and be transparent<\/strong>.<\/p>\n How can travellers’ motivations<\/strong> influence the choice<\/strong> of sustainable accommodation?<\/p>\n Travellers’ motivations associated with sustainable accommodation<\/strong> choice rely closely on the main reasons taken into account while planning<\/strong> a trip<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Sustainable tourism combines altruistic motivations<\/strong> with travelling.<\/p>\n Travellers are increasingly searching for alternative experiences<\/strong> that positively contribute to the social<\/strong>, natural<\/strong> and economic<\/strong> environment, like personal growth<\/strong>, undertaking a holiday<\/strong> with a difference<\/strong>, engaging with the local community, meeting<\/strong> different people, and learning<\/strong> different ways of living.<\/p>\n The trip’s purpose<\/strong> is relevant. In particular, green travellers<\/strong> prefer to stay in a place that has a bigger purpose<\/strong> than just economic profit.<\/p>\n They show interest in environmental issues<\/strong> as air and water pollution<\/strong>, climate change<\/strong>, plastic<\/strong><\/a> consumption, the environmental impact of aviation<\/strong>, and the attention for social issues<\/strong> like safeguarding diversity<\/strong>, gender equality<\/strong>, and gentrification<\/a><\/strong> problems are relevant.<\/p>\n Sustainable tourists show their interest in nature-based activities<\/strong>. Focus your activities<\/strong> on the travel purpose<\/strong> of your guests<\/strong>. By considering your guests’ needs<\/strong>, your accommodation can improve market positioning<\/strong>, increasing competitive differentiation. Listen<\/strong> to your audience<\/strong>!<\/p>\n How can travellers value<\/strong> influence the choice<\/strong> of sustainable accommodation?<\/p>\n Green travellers<\/strong> affirm that being aware<\/strong> of sustainability<\/strong> and developing sustainability values influence their choice for sustainable accommodation<\/strong>. Sustainable behaviour is positively related to environmental<\/strong> concern, while it is negatively associated with materialism.<\/p>\n It seems that the more travellers are concerned by sustainability<\/strong>, the more they assume sustainable choices<\/strong>. Awareness of consequences<\/strong> and feeling of responsibility<\/strong> influence sustainability choices. While travelling, respect,\u00a0<\/strong>and honesty<\/strong>\u00a0are the most mentioned values connected with sustainability.<\/p>\n Travellers who perceive the importance of behaving sustainably accept economic sacrifices<\/strong> to protect<\/strong> the environment<\/strong>. Focus<\/strong> your communication strategies<\/strong> on your right audience<\/strong> and desired target<\/strong>!<\/p>\n How can traveller’s lifestyle<\/strong> influence the choice<\/strong> of sustainable accommodation?<\/p>\n Identifying the ways of living<\/strong> with more sustainable practices<\/strong> defines a sustainable lifestyle<\/strong>. It means choosing a life that pursues a minimal environmental<\/strong> and social<\/strong> impact<\/strong>. However, there is a lack of understanding<\/strong> of a sustainable lifestyle and how to follow it. People who follow sustainable practices in their daily lives<\/strong> are more willing to behave sustainably on vacation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Green travellers<\/strong> define their way of living as being aware<\/strong> of their own consumption<\/strong>, taking care of resources<\/strong>, making things better, not<\/strong> buying unnecessary<\/strong> items, and focusing on their own actions’ positive impact<\/a><\/strong>. On the contrary, green travellers assert they are not implementing enough sustainable practices and they are not able to live 100% in a green way because there is always something more to do to act more sustainably.<\/p>\n Be sure that your guests learn<\/strong> sustainable practices during their stay at your sustainable accommodation<\/strong> to act in an even more sustainable way once back home<\/strong>. You can gain community<\/strong> recognition by being more transparent<\/strong> in reporting the impacts<\/strong> of your commitments and operations. Emphasize<\/strong> the main sustainable<\/strong> aspects.<\/p>\n Follow these green tips<\/strong>, and as a host, you will benefit<\/strong> strategically<\/strong> and gain competitive advantages. Focus on your services offers<\/strong> and your communication strategies<\/strong><\/a> to reach your desired<\/strong> travellers’ target<\/strong>. Sharpen your 1. What does sustainability mean?<\/h2>\n
Understand the meaning of Sustainability and Sustainable Tourism from Traveller’s Perspective<\/h3>\n
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Green Tips for Hosts<\/h3>\n
2.\u00a0What do guests expect from an eco-hotel?<\/h2>\n
Understand the Travellers’ expectations towards a Sustainable Accommodation<\/h3>\n
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Green Tips for Hosts<\/h3>\n
3.\u00a0Which kind of green experiences are your guests looking for?<\/h2>\n
Explore in-depth Travellers’ Positive Attitudes towards Sustainability<\/h3>\n
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Green Tips for Hosts<\/h3>\n
4.\u00a0Which motivations influence your guests’ choices?<\/h2>\n
Explore in-depth Travellers’ Motivations considering Sustainability Aspects<\/h3>\n
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Green Tips for Hosts<\/h3>\n
5.\u00a0What are the green values of your guests?<\/h2>\n
Explore in-depth Sustainability Values Applied while Travelling<\/h3>\n
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Green Tips for Hosts<\/h3>\n
6.\u00a0What is the green holiday style?<\/h2>\n
Explore in-depth Sustainable Lifestyle of Travellers on Vacation<\/h3>\n
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Green Tips for Hosts<\/h3>\n
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