Making sustainability practices visible to hotel customers
Bitumbu, Wete Riphine (2025)
Bitumbu, Wete Riphine
2025
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025052315297
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2025052315297
Tiivistelmä
As consumer awareness and demand for environmentally friendly practices continue to grow, it is important for hospitality businesses to adapt their services to sustainable values. This thesis re-searches the visibility of sustainability from the customer’s perspective in the hospitality industry, focusing on the case of Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna. The main research problem was: How to make sustainability more visible to the customers at Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna?
The commissioner for the research was the Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna, located in the heart of Helsinki, Finland. The hotel is recognized for their commitment to sustainability and holds both the Green Key certificate and the Sustainable Travel Finland label. A more detailed profile of the commissioner is presented in the introduction of the thesis.
The research was conducted using a mixed methods approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. The online survey was shared through the author’s social media channels. The survey included various question types, including multiple-choice, Likert scale, and open-ended questions. Analysis was conducted using the Webropol tool platform and Excel for data visualization.
The results show that although sustainability is considered important by many customers, it does not affect their hotel selection. For some participants, sustainable practices were mostly invisible. Participants suggested that visibility could be increased by improving communication strategies, especially through the hotel’s social media channels.
The commissioner for the research was the Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna, located in the heart of Helsinki, Finland. The hotel is recognized for their commitment to sustainability and holds both the Green Key certificate and the Sustainable Travel Finland label. A more detailed profile of the commissioner is presented in the introduction of the thesis.
The research was conducted using a mixed methods approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. The online survey was shared through the author’s social media channels. The survey included various question types, including multiple-choice, Likert scale, and open-ended questions. Analysis was conducted using the Webropol tool platform and Excel for data visualization.
The results show that although sustainability is considered important by many customers, it does not affect their hotel selection. For some participants, sustainable practices were mostly invisible. Participants suggested that visibility could be increased by improving communication strategies, especially through the hotel’s social media channels.