Browsing by Author "Seeboth, Lieselotte"
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- Greening luxury : generational shifts balancing sustainability and exclusivity in hotel bookingsPublication . Seeboth, Lieselotte; Rajsingh, PeterAs sustainability gains relevance across all sectors, the luxury hotel industry is facing increasing pressure to balance environmental responsibility with quality guest experiences. This paper examines how sustainable practices in luxury hotels influence booking intentions, focusing on the differences between Millennials and Generation X. The study combines twelve expert interviews with a quantitative survey (n = 92) of luxury travelers from both generations and uses a mixed methods approach. It examines the perceived relevance of sustainability, the evaluation of certain ecological practices and the role of individual environmental values. The results show that while sustainability is valued, it is rarely the main reason for booking decisions, while location, price and service quality take precedence. No statistically significant differences were found between generations, challenging the assumptions of previous literature. Instead, individual environmental values - measured by the GEB score - proved to be the stronger predictor of sustainable preferences and willingness to pay. These findings suggest that value-based segmentation is more effective in marketing sustainable luxury offerings than targeting specific generations. Luxury hotels can benefit from subtly integrating sustainability into the guest experience without compromising on exclusivity. Theoretically, the study contributes to the ongoing debate on the attitudinal-behavioral divide and challenges generational stereotypes in sustainable tourism. Practically, it offers insights for luxury brands seeking to align environmental initiatives with customer expectations.