International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management

Purpose – The study seeks to explore the factors which influence the consumer attitude and behaviour towards green practices in the lodging industry in India and also to explore the consumers' intentions to pay for these practices.

Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative and qualitative research methodology using a questionnaire along with secondary research has been proposed. A structured questionnaire has been used using convenience-sampling techniques from National Capital Region in India. Correlation and factor analysis has been used to explore consumers' attitudes and behaviour towards green practices in the lodging industry.

Findings – The consumers using hotel services are conscious about environmentally friendly practices in India. They patronise the hotels that have adapted green practices though not compromising on service quality. The consumers would prefer to use lodging that follows these practices but are not willing to pay extra for these services. Indian hotels have the competitive advantage over similar products if they follow green practices.

Practical implications – The hotels would have to invest in environmentally friendly practices and look at long-term gains. The government needs to acknowledge and institutionalise the practice by instituting rewards and offering benefits in taxes.

Originality/value – The paper attempts to bring out facts regarding customer buying behaviour towards green practices in the Indian hotel industry. The resource scenario in India is grim with regard to the water and sanitation. The tourism industry has a big responsibility in ensuring that business models adopted are sustainable in the long run and hence the need to imbibe green practices as a preferred business model.