The hotel industry has been pursuing green practices since the 1990s due to fluctuating economic
levels and a strong focus on customer service. Other popular cost cutting measures for the short-, midand
long-term include:
Use of compact fluorescent lights - saves energy.
Reuse of linens - saves water, detergent, energy and greenhouse gases.
Low-flow shower systems - saves water and energy.
Local products- save transportation costs.
Installation of green roofs - saves energy.
Installation of solar heaters or other renewable energy source - saves energy.
The ultimate result of these actions is a win-win situation; to reduce hotel operational costs and
harmful environmental impacts. There can be no doubt that “going green” has become an important
movement in today‟s society. And while it carries with it noble ideals, it also has a hip sort of
connotation. The National Technology Readiness Survey conducted by Rockbridge Associates in 2007
asked respondents how they felt about environmentally conscious businesses and their practices and
found that 68% of consumers like to do business with companies that are environmentally
responsible. It is perhaps this preoccupation with being part of the trend that leads many companies
into the dangerous waters of “Green washing.”
Green washing or "green sheen," is deceptively used to promote the perception that an organization's
products, aims and/or policies are environmentally friendly. The term green washing was coined by
New York environmentalist Jay Wester velt in 1986. A potential threat to businesses that are
implementing and promoting the use of green practices is green washing. As consumers become more
aware of the positive impact that green practices can create in the environment, more businesses are
talking about how “green” they are, sometimes exaggerating or falsely communicating the extent of
their involvement. Green refers to practices that protect the environment and/or products made with
little environmental harm because they are produced in an environmental and eco- friendly way.
While current literature says that there are a variety of reasons for a hotel to become eco-certified, this
study focuses on how consumers respond to green practices in hotels, and what effects ecocertification
have on consumer attitudes toward the hotel and gap analysis between management and
consumer perception towards hotels. Also practices as advertised by hotels in Nagpur and consumer
perception towards the hotels will be studied.
Through a survey questionnaire we aimed to assess consumer attitudes toward eco-certification and
general green practices within hotels.