Management project
Satisfaction of hotel guests related to the sustainability
level in hotels
Date: 08-09-2021
Word count: 10780
NHL Stenden – International Hotel Management
Leeuwarden
The Netherlands
Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements of the degree Program
Bachelor of Business Administration (Hotel Management)
,Table of content
Abstract………………………………………………………………
…………………………………4
Chapter 1: Introduction.....................................................................................................................3
1.1.1 Context and rationale for the study...........................................................................................3
1.1.2 Problem description..................................................................................................................3
1.1.3 Purpose and relevance of the study..........................................................................................4
Chapter 2: Method In this chapter is explained how the research was conducted. The focus of this
chapter is on the research design, the instrument, population, sampling method, the way of
collecting data and analyzing this data. In addition, the ethical considerations of this research are
discussed. In this paragraph it is explained how privacy is guaranteed for the participants of this
research. In the appendices a timeline of writing this report is presented......................................14
Chapter 3: Results............................................................................................................................17
3.1 The average score of food waste influencing the guest satisfaction...........................................18
3.2 The average score of water conservation influencing the guest satisfaction.............................20
3.4 The average score of the carbon footprint influencing the guest satisfaction............................22
3.5 The average score of recycling influencing the guest satisfaction..............................................23
3.6 The most important sustainability measure...............................................................................24
3.7 The average score on the importance of sustainability..............................................................25
4.1 Research questions.....................................................................................................................28
4.2 Limitations..................................................................................................................................32
4.3 Recommendations......................................................................................................................33
Appendices......................................................................................................................................37
Appendix 1: Gantt Chart...................................................................................................................37
Legend:.............................................................................................................................................37
Appendix 2: Quantitative Analysis Scheme.......................................................................................38
1
,Abstract
Sustainability becomes more important every day for the whole world. Many companies are adapting
towards a more sustainable way of operation, including the hospitality industry. This study focuses on
the determination of the importance of sustainability measures in hotels. More specifically, it aims on
five different sustainability measures, each compared with the guest satisfaction to find out if these
measures have an influence on the guest satisfaction. The sustainability measures included in this
study are food waste, water conservation, saving energy, the carbon footprint and recycling.
In order to test the hypothesis, an online survey was created in order to have as much participants as
possible to the study. After collecting the data of the survey, a couple of statistical tests were done,
such as descriptive measures, the independent sample t-test, the Pearson correlation and the Friedman
test. The results of the descriptive measures shown that sustainability measures are important to hotel
guests, since the score was ‘agree’, which was a score of 4 out of 5 on a Likert-scale of importance.
Furthermore, it became clear out of the results of the Friedman test that the most important
sustainability measures are food waste and recycling. Lastly, out of the Pearson correlation and the
independent sample t-test it became clear that there is no significant correlation between age and the
importance of sustainability and that there is no significant difference between gender and the
importance of sustainability.
Out of these results it can be concluded that there is a positive influence of a high sustainability level
on the guest satisfaction and therefore it is a very important aspect for hoteliers to look at and invest
in, specifically on food waste and recycling, in order to contribute to a higher guest satisfaction and
thus a higher revenue.
2
, Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Topic Description/Context
This chapter of the research introduces the subjects which were examined within this study. The
chapter is divided into three sub-sections, which are context and rationale for the study, the problem
description that is identified and the purpose and relevance of the study. By describing the subjects in
this order, it becomes clear what the purpose and relevance of the study is.
1.1.1 Context and rationale for the study
Sustainability is becoming more and more important for people. The awareness about damaging the
earth is raised among many people and this effects companies as well. Sustainability is an upcoming
trend in the hospitality industry, which is the focus of this study. A definition of sustainability is
“Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
own needs” (Griffith University, 2019, p. 11). The hospitality industry can be influenced by this
upcoming trend of sustainability, which can have an influence on the guest satisfaction. There are
different factors that can influence the sustainability of a company such as food waste, water
conservation, saving energy, the carbon footprint and recycling. These are key factors in the
hospitality industry that are worth to look into in order to be sustainable (Martens, 2016). The aim of
this research report is to examine the influence of sustainable hotels on the guest satisfaction. The key
factors can have an influence on the sustainability of hotels and the total sustainability of a hotel can
have an influence on the guest satisfaction. The topic sustainability is chosen, since it is still an
upcoming trend among hotels. Furthermore, the sustainability of a company is always an important
aspect, it is not something that people will forget. Sustainability is an important aspect for the whole
world, since it has an influence on the future generations and making the world a better place. Another
reason for choosing this topic is that the outcome of the research can help hotels to understand the
influence of sustainability in the company on the guests.
1.1.2 Problem description
The earth has been damaged by developments among humans such as cars, electricity, new
technology, C02 emissions, water pollution, overpopulation and many more causes. These negative
environmental changes were an issue already for a long time, however there has been a great raise in
awareness among people around the whole world. This awareness is caused by charities, famous
people that talk about the issue, people being more educated and because of that think more about the
consequences for the future generations. People become more aware of the fact that this generation
have to do something about the environment or otherwise the damage cannot be controlled anymore. It
can be said that the damage of the environment is a great problem all around the world and this is why
3
Satisfaction of hotel guests related to the sustainability
level in hotels
Date: 08-09-2021
Word count: 10780
NHL Stenden – International Hotel Management
Leeuwarden
The Netherlands
Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements of the degree Program
Bachelor of Business Administration (Hotel Management)
,Table of content
Abstract………………………………………………………………
…………………………………4
Chapter 1: Introduction.....................................................................................................................3
1.1.1 Context and rationale for the study...........................................................................................3
1.1.2 Problem description..................................................................................................................3
1.1.3 Purpose and relevance of the study..........................................................................................4
Chapter 2: Method In this chapter is explained how the research was conducted. The focus of this
chapter is on the research design, the instrument, population, sampling method, the way of
collecting data and analyzing this data. In addition, the ethical considerations of this research are
discussed. In this paragraph it is explained how privacy is guaranteed for the participants of this
research. In the appendices a timeline of writing this report is presented......................................14
Chapter 3: Results............................................................................................................................17
3.1 The average score of food waste influencing the guest satisfaction...........................................18
3.2 The average score of water conservation influencing the guest satisfaction.............................20
3.4 The average score of the carbon footprint influencing the guest satisfaction............................22
3.5 The average score of recycling influencing the guest satisfaction..............................................23
3.6 The most important sustainability measure...............................................................................24
3.7 The average score on the importance of sustainability..............................................................25
4.1 Research questions.....................................................................................................................28
4.2 Limitations..................................................................................................................................32
4.3 Recommendations......................................................................................................................33
Appendices......................................................................................................................................37
Appendix 1: Gantt Chart...................................................................................................................37
Legend:.............................................................................................................................................37
Appendix 2: Quantitative Analysis Scheme.......................................................................................38
1
,Abstract
Sustainability becomes more important every day for the whole world. Many companies are adapting
towards a more sustainable way of operation, including the hospitality industry. This study focuses on
the determination of the importance of sustainability measures in hotels. More specifically, it aims on
five different sustainability measures, each compared with the guest satisfaction to find out if these
measures have an influence on the guest satisfaction. The sustainability measures included in this
study are food waste, water conservation, saving energy, the carbon footprint and recycling.
In order to test the hypothesis, an online survey was created in order to have as much participants as
possible to the study. After collecting the data of the survey, a couple of statistical tests were done,
such as descriptive measures, the independent sample t-test, the Pearson correlation and the Friedman
test. The results of the descriptive measures shown that sustainability measures are important to hotel
guests, since the score was ‘agree’, which was a score of 4 out of 5 on a Likert-scale of importance.
Furthermore, it became clear out of the results of the Friedman test that the most important
sustainability measures are food waste and recycling. Lastly, out of the Pearson correlation and the
independent sample t-test it became clear that there is no significant correlation between age and the
importance of sustainability and that there is no significant difference between gender and the
importance of sustainability.
Out of these results it can be concluded that there is a positive influence of a high sustainability level
on the guest satisfaction and therefore it is a very important aspect for hoteliers to look at and invest
in, specifically on food waste and recycling, in order to contribute to a higher guest satisfaction and
thus a higher revenue.
2
, Chapter 1: Introduction
1.1 Topic Description/Context
This chapter of the research introduces the subjects which were examined within this study. The
chapter is divided into three sub-sections, which are context and rationale for the study, the problem
description that is identified and the purpose and relevance of the study. By describing the subjects in
this order, it becomes clear what the purpose and relevance of the study is.
1.1.1 Context and rationale for the study
Sustainability is becoming more and more important for people. The awareness about damaging the
earth is raised among many people and this effects companies as well. Sustainability is an upcoming
trend in the hospitality industry, which is the focus of this study. A definition of sustainability is
“Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
own needs” (Griffith University, 2019, p. 11). The hospitality industry can be influenced by this
upcoming trend of sustainability, which can have an influence on the guest satisfaction. There are
different factors that can influence the sustainability of a company such as food waste, water
conservation, saving energy, the carbon footprint and recycling. These are key factors in the
hospitality industry that are worth to look into in order to be sustainable (Martens, 2016). The aim of
this research report is to examine the influence of sustainable hotels on the guest satisfaction. The key
factors can have an influence on the sustainability of hotels and the total sustainability of a hotel can
have an influence on the guest satisfaction. The topic sustainability is chosen, since it is still an
upcoming trend among hotels. Furthermore, the sustainability of a company is always an important
aspect, it is not something that people will forget. Sustainability is an important aspect for the whole
world, since it has an influence on the future generations and making the world a better place. Another
reason for choosing this topic is that the outcome of the research can help hotels to understand the
influence of sustainability in the company on the guests.
1.1.2 Problem description
The earth has been damaged by developments among humans such as cars, electricity, new
technology, C02 emissions, water pollution, overpopulation and many more causes. These negative
environmental changes were an issue already for a long time, however there has been a great raise in
awareness among people around the whole world. This awareness is caused by charities, famous
people that talk about the issue, people being more educated and because of that think more about the
consequences for the future generations. People become more aware of the fact that this generation
have to do something about the environment or otherwise the damage cannot be controlled anymore. It
can be said that the damage of the environment is a great problem all around the world and this is why
3
