Motivation, Opportunity, and Ability of Chinese Tourists to Stay at Green Hotels in Thailand

ABSTRACT

The purposes of this study were to explore motivation, opportunity, and abilities of Chinese tourists in staying at green hotels in Thailand and to compare perceptions of green and non-green guests toward green hotels. The study adopted Motivation-Opportunity-Ability (MOA) Theory as its framework to employ a qualitative research method by conducting 31 semi-structured interviews. 17 interviews were conducted with green guests at two green hotels in Nakon Nayok and Phuket, whilst 14 interviews were carried out with non-green guests at two conventional hotels in Bangkok and Phuket. The content analysis was used for interview data and the findings reported a great insight into Chinese tourists’ motivations, opportunities, and abilities to stay at green hotels in Thailand as well as obstacles to selecting green hotels. Managerial and research implications are provided. The former is for the government authority of Thailand and China, green hotel operators and managers, and mass media to promote Chinese tourists to stay at green hotels in Thailand, whilst the latter introduced the perceptions of Chinese tourists and concluded that they have various motivations, opportunities, and abilities to participate in the pro-environmental practices.

中国游客在泰国入住绿色酒店的动机、机会和能力摘要

本研究的目的是探索中国游客在泰国入住绿色酒店的动机、机会和能力，并比较绿色客人和非绿色客人对绿色酒店的看法。本研究采用了‘动机-机会-能力’（MOA）理论作为框架，采用定性研究方法，进行了31个半结构式访谈。其中，17个访谈是针对位于那空那育府和普吉岛的两家绿色酒店的绿色客人，另外14个访谈是针对位于曼谷和普吉岛的两家传统酒店的非绿色客人。采用内容分析对访谈数据进行分析，研究结果对中国游客在泰国逗留绿色酒店的动机、机会和能力以及选择绿色酒店的障碍提供了深入的洞见。本文提供了管理和研究的启示，前者是为泰国和中国政府机构、绿色酒店运营商和管理人员以及大众传媒提供推广中国游客在泰国逗留绿色酒店的建议，后者介绍了中国游客的看法，并得出结论认为他们有各种不同的动机、机会和能力参与环保实践。

KEYWORDS:

• Chinese tourists
• green hotels
• MOA
• pro-environmental behaviors
• Thailand

关键词:

• 中国游客
• 绿色酒店
• 动机机会和能力理论
• 环保行为
• 泰国

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ximan Zong

Ximan Zong is a lecturer in Martin de Tours School of Management and Economics at Assumption University, Thailand. Her research interests include sustainable hotel, tourism and culture, and tourist behavior. (E-mail: [email protected])

Aya Fukushige

Aya Fukushige is a lecturer in Martin de Tours School of Management and Economics at Assumption University, Thailand. Her research interests lie in the area of leadership, management, culture, and entrepreneurship (E-mail: [email protected]).