Do Tourists Prefer Sustainable Operators? Exploring Behavioural Responses to Cultural Sustainability Practices

Purpose: This study investigates the influence of cultural sustainability practices on tourist behaviour among tour operators in Nairobi City County, Kenya. Design and methodology: A dual exploratory-correlational research design was used, guided by Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) criteria to assess cultural sustainability practices through 11 binary indicators. Data were collected from 114 tour operators and 342 tourists using stratified random sampling. Cultural sustainability scores were standardised into Z-scores and categorised into five adoption levels (Very High, High, Moderate, Low, and Very Low). Statistical analysis included Kruskal-Wallis tests, Dunn's post-hoc comparisons, and Spearman's correlation analysis examining relationships between sustainability practices and five tourist behaviour dimensions. Findings: Results revealed 60.3% of operators demonstrate moderate cultural sustainability adoption, while only 10.6% achieve high or very high levels. Strong positive correlations were found between cultural sustainability practices and tourist loyalty (r = .660, p < .001), tourist choice (r = .603, p < .001), average length of stay (r = .584, p < .001), spending behaviour (r = .540, p < .001), and ambassadorial behaviour (r = .528, p < .001). Kruskal-Wallis tests confirmed significant differences across all behavioural variables (p < .001), with tourists consistently preferring, remaining loyal to, recommending, spending more with, and staying longer with operators demonstrating higher sustainability adoption. Practical implications: Cultural sustainability represents a strategic business advantage. Operators should prioritise comprehensive sustainability implementation for competitive positioning. Policymakers should develop targeted interventions to address implementation barriers. Originality and value: This study provides a comprehensive empirical validation of cultural sustainability practices and tourist behaviour relationships in Kenya's tourism sector.