Challenges Faced by Small and Medium Sized Hotels in Implementing Environmentally Sustainable Practices; with Special Reference to Batticaloa District
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Date
2017
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Publisher
Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Environmental sustainability has received a significant attention in the hotel industry in recent
years. Such practices extend an additional core value to the business processes while enhancing
the overall customer experience and industry sustainability as well. However, incorporating
environmentally sustainable practices to the hotel industry needs a substantial commitment and
investment. This study was endeavored to discern the barriers faced by small and medium sized hotels when implementing environmentally sustainable practices. Accordingly, energy
consumption, water consumption, Co2 emissions and waste management practices were
considered as the main environmentally sustainable activities. The study was employed with
inductive reasoning, and data were obtained from ten small and medium-sized hoteliers in
Batticaloa district of Sri Lanka through purposive sampling techniques. The data collected
through structured interviews were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. The
results revealed that the high cost of implementation and maintenance are the biggest barriers
to device environmentally sustainable practices and systems. Moreover, lack of
suppliers/resource or equipment, complicated government policies, lack of knowledge and
skills, consequences of COVID-19 and the Easter Sunday Attack, lack of support from the local
governments, were the major barriers faced by the small and medium sized hoteliers to
implement environmentally sustainability practices. However, hotel characteristics and the
experience of staff were significant determinants of the adoption of good practices. The
medium-sized hotels have more involvement to implement environmentally sustainable
practices and implementing environmentally sustainable practices were burdensome for small
hotels. As a significant component of the Sri Lankan accommodation supply, small hotels
should be motivated to adopt environmentally sustainable practices sufficiently extending
needed financial support, knowledge and the government support.
Key Words: Environmental sustainability, Sri Lanka, Hotel industry, Tourism,
Barriers, Small and Medium
Description
Keywords
Hospitality, Tourism and Events Management degree programme (HTE)