Consumer adoption of green hotels: understanding the role of value, innovation, and involvement

Escalating environmental concerns have increased consumer interest in green consumption, and many hotels have embarked on a green transformation to accommodate this growing public sentiment. However, many consumers remain skeptical about green hotels. This research aims to shed light on consumer adoption of green hotels using value theory and diffusion of innovation theory. A structural equation modeling analysis is conducted on data collected from 332 hotel guests in India. In doing so, this research reveals four significant findings, namely (1) utilitarian value is the most substantial value predictor, followed by biospheric and hedonic values; (2) consumer innovativeness is a stronger innovation predictor than innovation characteristics; (3) consumers with high green involvement are more likely to adopt green hotels than their low green involvement counterparts; and (4) consumer adoption intention is a significant predictor of consumer actual adoption of green hotels. Taken collectively, this research provides valuable insights on consumer responses toward the value and innovation ascribed to green hotels, especially in emerging economies, where sustainability practices remain voluntary rather than mandatory. It also establishes a new theory - i.e., the value and innovation theory of green hotel adoption - that can be adopted (used), adapted (modified), or advanced (extended) in the future.