What’s next in water conservation measures? Exploring hotel guests’ profiles and perceptions in Mediterranean mass-tourism destinations

The hotel industry, the largest water consumer in mass tourist destinations, has developed many water-saving measures over the past decades to alleviate scarcity in the Mediterranean coastal regions, where water balance is delicate and is threatened by climate change. In this context, non-widespread water-saving actions arise. However, a research gap exists regarding guests’ perceptions of them, which may affect their success and viability. This study explores perceptions of water-saving measures based on 850 face-to-face surveys carried out in the Mediterranean destinations of Benidorm (Spain) and Rimini (Italy) during the summer of 2021. A two-step cluster analysis was performed to segment guests based on their perceptions of water-saving measures, and non-parametric tests were employed to identify differences in their sociodemographic profiles and stay characteristics. Outcomes showed a greater acceptance of introducing non-conventional water sources and economic incentives, as well as differences between tourist profiles based on their origin, age, traveling companions and educational attainment. This information will be helpful for the design of social marketing and climate change adaptation strategies for tourist destinations.