Communicating Green Practices and Family Firm Image in Booking.com: Influence on Perceived Hospitality and Hotel Visit Intention

ABSTRACT An increasing number of companies in the hotel industry are embracing the integration of sustainable practices to gain an advantage in a competitive digital market, where online travel agencies are predominant. However, marketing literature remains divided regarding the effectiveness of communicating the green image of a hotel in relation to consumer response. This research aims to explore how communication of stimuli reflecting a green hotel image influences consumer response in terms of hospitality and visit intention, incorporating the study of family firm ownership as a communicational element. A quasi‐experimental study was conducted on an online survey involving 453 people. Participants viewed stimuli in the form of fictitious hotel advertising, which included narrative and visual elements. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed, complemented by linear regression analyses. In terms of the study's findings, on one hand, no significant results were found to dispel doubts regarding the effectiveness of a green image in obtaining a better response from consumers. On the other hand, communication of family firm image positively and significantly influences consumers in terms of perceived hospitality and intention to visit the hotel, maintaining its effect when communicated in conjunction with a green image. This study contributes to the literature on green branding by discussing the communicational effectiveness of a hotel's green identity as a commercial asset. It also advances the literature on branding for family businesses by suggesting signals that integrate both family and corporate identities. Lastly, it contributes to the literature on hospitality and tourism, particularly concerning the management of signals within online travel agencies.