The role of message strategies in promoting eco-friendly accommodations
International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research
ISSN: 1750-6182
Article publication date: 3 October 2016
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine how different levels of message appeals, message sources and social norms influence the purchase (i.e. booking) intention of eco-accommodations.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed hypothesis was tested using a 2 (message appeal; rational vs emotional) × 2 (message source; expert vs blogger) × 2 (social norm; injunctive vs descriptive) between-subject experimental online design.
Findings
Advertising appeals and social norms are major predictors of eco-accommodation’s ad effectiveness and message appeals, sources and social norms, and their classifications interrelate with each other. The highest intention to purchase an eco-accommodation was found for a promotional message, which is sent by an expert, expresses a rational appeal and includes a descriptive social norm. Perceived emotional value in contrast was increased with a blogger statement including an emotional appeal and an injunctive social norm.
Research limitations/implications
The used experiment only focused on one product, namely, eco-friendly accommodations. The impacts of different message contents might vary as a function of the promoted product.
Practical implications
To develop persuasive messages which combine all three message contents, experts should craft messages with rational characteristics and address a descriptive social norm.
Originality/value
Although consumers show a desire to buy eco-friendly tourism products, it seems that supply actually overweighs demand. As research in the field of eco-accommodations is still limited, this study examines the role of different combined promotional message contents to further clarify the apparent gap in green consumption.
Keywords
Citation
Zanon, J. and Teichmann, K. (2016), "The role of message strategies in promoting eco-friendly accommodations", International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, Vol. 10 No. 4, pp. 410-423. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCTHR-07-2016-0067
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited