The Role of Sustainability Practices in
Shaping Guest Preferences in Eco-
Hotels in the Glasgow
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Table of Contents
Chapter 4: Analysis and Findings................................................................................................2
4.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................2
4.2 Demographics of the Respondents.....................................................................................2
4.3 Awareness and Understanding of Sustainability...............................................................4
4.4 Importance of Sustainability Practices..............................................................................6
4.5 Guest Behaviour and Willingness to Pay...........................................................................9
4.6 Satisfaction with Sustainability Practices........................................................................12
4.7 Analysis of Open-Ended Responses.................................................................................15
4.7.1. Priority Sustainability Areas Identified by Guests.................................................15
4.7.2 Suggestions for Enhancing Eco-Friendly Experiences............................................16
4.8 Summary of Key Findings................................................................................................17
References:...................................................................................................................................19
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Chapter 4: Analysis and Findings
4.1 Introduction
This chapter includes the results of the primary data from an online questionnaire on how
practices of sustainability influence the preferences of the guests in eco-hotels in Glasgow. A
total of twenty-six valid responses were sent back by people who have stayed in a hotel in
Glasgow and who have previously been exposed to visible sustainability practices during their
stay. This enhances the reliability and validity of the results as all the respondents had adequate
exposure to eco-friendly hotel operations.
Following this, the analysis will be presented in a sequential breakdown into several key
components required to outline and convey a clear overview, comprising demographic
characteristics of the respondents, their awareness and understanding of eco-hotel practices, the
importance of different sustainability initiatives, their behaviour and willingness to support
environmentally responsible hotels, and satisfaction and loyalty outcomes based on these
practices. Key findings are summarised at the end of the chapter by relating to research
objectives and their implications for the eco-hotel sector in Glasgow.
4.2 Demographics of the Respondents
It is important to comprehend the demographic makeup of the sample in order to put the findings
of this study into perspective (Hossan, Dato’ Mansor and Jaharuddin, 2023). There were a total
of twenty-six people responding to the survey and they were of various ages, sexes and
nationalities, who travelled with different frequency. The dominating age brackets, which were
25-34 and 35-44 years, comprised twenty-four of the twenty-six respondents, and only two of
them were in the age bracket of eighteen to twenty-four years. This suggests that the dataset is
dominated by working-age adults, who are likely to travel for work, leisure, or both and are,
therefore, more likely to have more exposure to hotel environments and sustainable practices.
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The sample was moderately diverse in regard to the gender distribution. Thirteen identified their
gender as female, eight as male, three identified their gender as "Other", and two preferred not to
disclose their gender. Even though weighted slightly toward females, the inclusion of multiple
gender identities allows for a more even range of perspectives.
For hotel engagement, the number of hotel stays was relatively high for most respondents.
Several of them reported their stays to be around six to eight times a year, and some even stayed
more than eight times during the year, which may be an indication of frequent travelling with
valuable experience in hospitality contexts. This would make their responses stronger as the
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regular hotel guests are more likely to experience, observe, and appraise the sustainability
practices.
All the respondents acknowledged that they had stayed in a hotel in Glasgow and all showed
experience either with eco-hotels or hotels implementing visible sustainability actions, for
example, in the form of recycling, energy-saving systems or eco-friendly amenities (Casteel and
Bridier, 2021). This makes the respondents similar, as they have been directly exposed to
sustainable hospitality services.
Overall, the demographic profile of the sample can be characterised as mature, experienced and
highly engaged with the hotel environments - and as such, the group would be well-suited to
evaluating sustainability initiatives within the eco-hotel sector in Glasgow.
4.3 Awareness and Understanding of Sustainability
The first analytical area examines the awareness of sustainability and ecohotel concepts by the
respondents. In measuring this dimension, three Likert-scale statements were used and rated
from 1 - 5, where 1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strongly agree. This shows the relatively high
state of awareness of guests, but levels of active engagement vary.
The highest-scoring statement was "I understand what an eco-hotel means," with a mean score of
4.46, indicating that the respondents possess a thorough conceptual understanding of
environmentally friendly accommodations (Willie, 2024). This would therefore mean that the
terminology of the eco-hotel is well understood among guests and that there is less confusion or
misinterpretation in the communication of sustainability initiatives by hotels.
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The statement, "I am aware that some hotels in Glasgow implement sustainability or eco-friendly
practices," received a mean score of 3.81, representing a fairly high level of awareness. While
the majority of the respondents acknowledge that there is some form of sustainability action
taken by hotels in Glasgow, a slightly lower score than that for conceptual understanding would
suggest that not all guests are consistently exposed to, or informed about, specific sustainability
practices during their stay.
The item with the lowest score was "I actively look for information about a hotel's sustainability
before booking", with a mean of 3.19. This suggests an interesting behavioural insight - while
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guests value sustainability, and understanding of the concept of ecohotels, less research on these
practices before booking. Instead, they might be more dependent upon visible cues, simplified
communications from the hotels themselves or sustainability very much part of the service
experience.
The summation of this awareness dimension is that the general knowledge about eco-hotels is
very strong at 3.8 out of 5 for the average. On the other hand, the low level of active information-
seeking behaviour indicates that hotels may need to ensure the effectiveness of their
communication with guests on sustainability initiatives to make those practices visible and
comprehensible.
4.4 Importance of Sustainability Practices
This section looks at the importance placed by the respondents on various sustainability practices
when choosing and choosing a hotel. Six items on a Likert scale were presented to see which
environmental initiatives have the most influence on guest preference (Scârneci-Domnişoru,
2024). The results show that the participants far and away prefer tangible, visible and guest-
facing efforts to create a sustainable experience, with a strong preference for practices that
directly impact their experience of the stay.
Of all the amenities listed, eco-friendly bathroom amenities and locally sourced/ organic food
options were rated as most important, with an average score of 4.27. This implies that guests
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appreciate the tangible gestures which reduce single-use plastics and promote responsible
consumption. Eco-friendly amenities such as refillable toiletry dispensers and biodegradable
products are the first things that come to the attention of the guests and, therefore, make a lasting
impression. Similarly, local food sourcing is equated to freshness, cultural authenticity, and
environmental responsibility, which is in tune with today's trends for ethical dining.
Other highly valued practices include waste reduction and recycling programmes, which had a
mean score of 4.24, indicating that respondents believe that waste minimisation is an important
part of hotel sustainability. Water saving initiatives such as towel and linen reuse, low flow
systems and responsible water management also ranked high with a mean of 4.15. Such results
do mean that guests consider resource conservation important, and they appreciate it when the
hotel has in place systems that reduce needless waste.
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On the other hand, some sustainability initiatives appeared to have a lesser power in motivating
booking choices. In fact, renewable energy systems, including solar panels and efficient heating
and cooling systems, had an average rating of 3.69, a moderately high mean score. While still a
positive practice, this one seems less obvious to guests than the other initiatives. This suggests
that it could be more difficult for travellers to identify or gauge the usage of renewable energy
unless it is communicated by the hotels themselves.
The least important practice, with a mean score of 3.23, was eco-certification or green tourism
labels, such as Green Tourism and BREEAM. From this, a key conclusion can be drawn - logos
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of certification do little if not accompanied by observable environmental practices. Guests either
do not know about certification schemes or think that they are not adequate indicators of good
sustainability. This underlines the fact that hotels need to show through direct actions and not just
accreditation.
Taken together, the findings suggest that customers appreciate those sustainability practices that
are relevant, observable and can be experienced during their stay. Overall, the importance
dimension scored around 3.98 out of 5 - on average - indicating strong environmental
expectations amongst guests in Glasgow. For this reason, hotels that want to increase their
competitive advantage sustainably should focus on visible and experience-enhancing
sustainability practices which genuinely show commitment rather than symbolic compliance.
4.5 Guest Behaviour and Willingness to Pay
This section provides a look into behavioural responses in terms of booking preferences,
attitudes towards sustainability and willingness to financially support eco-friendly practices
(Subedi, 2023). Four Likert scale statements were designed to determine how sustainability
affects the decision-making process of guests.
In the case that price is not an obstacle, respondents are found to have a great preference for
sustainable hotels. The statement "I would stay at an eco-hotel instead of a standard hotel if the
price is similar in both cases" achieved the highest behavioural score with a mean of 4.27. This
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shows that sustainability can become a major differentiator in the hospitality market, especially if
eco-hotels offer competitive pricing in comparison to traditional hotels. In other words, when
sustainability is delivered "at no extra cost," it is a compelling value proposition for guests.
A mean of 3.89 was registered for the statement "I prefer to book a hotel that shows evident
sustainability practices", which indicates that guest attitudes were generally positive. That is to
say, sustainability is the desirable attribute in the time that guests book their rooms, it might not
always be the only factor determining whether they go or not, since guests might balance it with
price, location, brand and amenities. However, good communication of sustainable practices
appears to make eco-hotels more attractive.
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Similarly, being more supportive of others to stay in environmentally responsible hotels scored
an average of 3.85, which is a high indicator that the majority of the respondents are supportive
of striving for sustainable hospitality. This reflects on the increase of socially conscious travel
behaviours whereby guests are not only appreciative of sustainability, but also promote it within
their networks.
The lowest behavioural score was with willingness to pay a slightly higher price for eco-friendly
services, with a mean score of 3.31. Still above the midpoint, this score indicates some level of
price sensitivity in the responses of the guests. Support from travellers is more than there for the
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eco-friendly initiatives; however, unless clearly explained and visible, there might be resistance
to paying any extra fee. This does follow the trends of consumer behaviour in general, whereby
sustainability considerations are welcomed but need to be constantly pitted against affordability.
Overall, the behavioural dimension averaged approximately 3,8 out of 5, which gives evidence
that sustainability has a positive effect on the attitude and choices of guests; however, it is still
largely moderated by cost. Therefore, hotels in Glasgow can appeal to environmentally
conscious travellers just by communicating their sustainability practices and making sure that
sustainable services provide visible value. Guests will be more likely to see such sustainable
features as something worth supporting-even at a higher price point-if it adds to the comfort,
convenience or experience.
4.6 Satisfaction with Sustainability Practices
This section is concerned with the level of satisfaction of respondents with the sustainability
practices of the eco-hotel and the extent to which such practices contribute to loyalty outcomes
in terms of revisit intention and recommendations (Miller et al., 2023). Four Likert-scale items
across satisfaction and loyalty had consistently positive responses from the sample.
The statement "Sustainability practices enhanced my overall hotel experience" registered an
average rating of 4.00, indicating that most respondents perceived that to were experiencing
meaningful added value to their stay coming from sustainability. Thus, eco-friendly behaviour is
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not only able to satisfy the ethical or environmental interests of guests, but also affects the
perceived quality and comfort of service (Yavuz, 2023). Examples of such initiatives can be
water conservation systems, waste reduction or eco-friendly amenities, all of which generate a
sense of responsibility and modernity that could lead to elevated overall satisfaction.
Likewise, "I was satisfied with the eco-friendly services provided" got an average score of 4.04.
The fact that both measures fall within the same range means that sustainability practices are
well integrated into the experience of the service and occur in a way that is consistent with the
expectations of guests. High satisfaction implies that the eco-hotels in Glasgow have proper
implementation of sustainability measures that are transparent and appreciated by guests.
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The strongest score related to loyalty was for "The sustainability practices made me more likely
to revisit the hotel", which received a mean of 4.19. This suggests that there is the possibility that
sustainability is a driver of repeat business - one of the most valuable outcomes for hospitality
managers. Where eco-friendly features are visible, functional and well-communicated, they have
the potential to differentiate hotels in a set of competitors and build long-term loyalty.
Finally, the statement "I am likely to recommend eco-hotels in Glasgow to others" was scored at
3.77, which signals positive recommendations but a slightly more conservative stance than the
revisit intention. This difference may be because recommendations tend to lead to more
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satisfaction or memorable experiences. However, with a close score to four, it still shows a
strong advocacy behaviour amongst the respondents.
The satisfaction and loyalty dimension averaged around 4 out of 5 overall, which shows that
sustainability practices have a positive influence on guest experience and long-term behavioural
intentions. These findings help defend the argument that sustainability is not only an operational
or ethical need, but also a strategic tool that helps improve competitiveness in the hospitality
sector.
4.7 Analysis of Open-Ended Responses
Quantitative data were complemented by two open-ended questions, which sought to go deeper
into guest preferences and expectations (Narendratama and Wijoyo, 2025). Response to these
questions provided useful qualitative data to support and complement the numerical results.
Thematic analysis of comments led to two major themes as priority areas of sustainability and
suggested improvements for eco-hotel experiences.
4.7.1. Priority Sustainability Areas Identified by Guests
A wide range of practices around sustainability were mentioned, but some recurring themes came
through:
Waste reduction and circular practices
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Many of those surveyed emphasised reducing waste, such as composting, recycling, zero-
waste for breakfast and reducing single-use plastics (Wilson, 2025). These preferences
are endorsed by the high mean ratings given to the quantitative Waste Management and
Eco-friendly Amenities items.
Water conservation measures
Participants also frequently mentioned water management programmes such as rainwater
capturing, towel and linen reuse programmes and efficient water systems. This is in line
with the quantitative result that water-saving practices are considered highly important.
Sustainable sourcing & local food initiatives
A common request was for hotels to include local and organic food options, have circular
food systems and menus featuring low-carbon options (Veloz, Pacheco Olea and Lopez
Novilo, 2025). Guests appear to enjoy those kinds of touches to sustainability that link
them with the local community, culture and economy.
Energy efficiency and decarbonisation
The suggested actions were things like smart energy management systems, using
renewable energy, and general carbon reduction strategies. Renewable energy was able to
score reasonably in the quantitative section; there does seem to be a realisation by
participants of the long-term value in terms of the environment.
Sustainable mobility and accessibility
Several responses highlighted the importance of electric vehicle charging stations, e-
mobility services for free, and hotels advertising public transport (Gulzar et al., 2024).
This is a reflection of transport emissions relating to travel awareness.
4.7.2 Suggestions for Enhancing Eco-Friendly Experiences
On being asked to make recommendations, many sound suggestions were advanced:
More transparency and visibility: A lot of guests requested better communications about
hotel sustainability initiatives through digital guides, signage, smart screens or
information on apps.
Incentives for guests: From green loyalty points to discounts to rewards directly tied to
sustainable choices.
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Technology integration: Some of the suggestions by the respondents include filtered
water stations, eco-tech cleaning systems and low-energy devices in the guest rooms
(Schmidt, Staudt and Weinhardt, 2020).
More authenticity: Comments included the use of natural materials, displaying local
culture, and the use of eco-friendly travel kits.
These qualitative responses are a strong confirmation of the quantitative results: guests
appreciate the visibility and effectiveness of sustainability efforts and want hotels to be proactive
in communicating and improving eco-friendly experiences. Transparency, innovation and guest
engagement were not unusual requirements.
4.8 Summary of Key Findings
The analysis of the data shows that in the eco-hotel industry in Glasgow, the sustainability
practice has a strong impact on the guest preferences, satisfaction, and loyalty. It stems from the
results revealed, showing that while guests have a good knowledge of the concept of eco-hotels
and are actually aware of practices that are regarded as sustainable, they are not very proactive in
seeking such information before booking. This, therefore, requires hotels to do better in terms of
communicating and making their environmental strategies visible.
Results show that respondents place a high degree of importance on pragmatic and guest-facing
sustainability practices, such as the use of eco-friendly amenities, locally-sourced and organic
food and beverages, waste reduction and water-saving practices. These are valued over lesser-
seen initiatives (such as renewable energy or formal eco-certification schemes). This would,
therefore, mean that sustainability practices for hotels should be those that positively affect the
guest experience and effectively show environmental responsibility.
Behavioural results show that when prices are equal, guests have a strong preference for eco-
hotels but are moderately price sensitive to pay more for sustainability. This implies that eco-
hotels need to balance between sustainability and competitive pricing or highlight the value
addition of eco-friendly amenities and services to justify the extra costs.
Satisfaction and loyalty figures were consistently positive, with results indicating that the
practice of sustainability positively impacts hotel experiences, with a huge contribution to
intentions to revisit. Qualitative responses supported these results by highlighting how the
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visibility of sustainability efforts, transparency and opportunities for guests to participate in eco-
friendly behaviours play a major role.
Overall, the chapter presents clear evidence to show that sustainability is an ethical and strategic
imperative for hotels in Glasgow. The visible, meaningful and guest-centred sustainability
practices not only reflect traveller values, but also enhance competitiveness through increased
traveller satisfaction and repeat visits.
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