Effect of Eco-Friendly Perceptions on Behaviour of Guests in Eco-Rated Camps at the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
Abstract
In the current era where environmental degradation is alarming, hospitality enterprises have picked up pace and put greater effort in finding practical solutions to the problem. In this regard, the main driver of environmental conservation is stakeholders’ support, especially that of clientele. However, effectiveness of ecological measures mainly depends on favourability of hotel guests’ perceptions towards the initiatives. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behaviour, this study sought to establish the effect of eco-friendly perceptions on behaviour of guests in eco-rated camps at the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya. The philosophical position of the study was pragmatism with an embedded mixed methods research design. The study population comprised of 44 eco-rated camp managers and 208, 620 visitors to the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 10 managers and 399 hotel guests were selected using clustered, stratified, and proportionate random sampling techniques. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics while, inferential statistics were derived from Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) based on the Partial Least Squares technique (PLS). Qualitative data was analysed using narrative analysis. The results showed that perceived behavioural consequences and perceived behavioural control had significant effect on eco-friendly behaviour of guests β=0.0317, p = 0.005 <0.05 and β=0.289, p = 0.001 <0.05, respectively. However, perceived subjective norms had no significant effect on eco-friendly behaviour of guests β=0.008, p = 0.36 >0.05. The study recommends environmental protection campaigns that strengthen favourable behavioural and control beliefs as well as a better understanding perceived subjective norms and precise socio-cultural contexts in order to augment the most compelling practices. Future research approaches could narrow the sampling frames and test the predictive role of normative beliefs in a specified socio-cultural setting
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