An Eco-Innovation Mechanism for Brand Advocacy: Evidence from Eco-Friendly Hotels in Malaysia

Eco-innovation has played a transformative role in developing the quality and value of eco-services, allowing firms to gain more consumer advocacy in addressing environmental conservation. However, its role in promoting consumer advocacy in eco-friendly hotels remains narrowly studied. Hence, this research proposes an Eco-innovation Mechanism Enhancing Brand Advocacy Framework, aiming to examine how eco-innovation influences service quality, perceived value, consumer trust, eco-brand love, and brand advocacy in eco-friendly hotels. This research was contextualized in Malaysia, where 440 guests from different eco-friendly hotels were invited to answer the questionnaires. The results were analyzed via the CB-SEM method. Results demonstrated that incorporating eco-innovation significantly promoted service quality, perceived value, and consumer trust. Next, service quality was associated with perceived value and consumer trust. Moreover, perceived value was associated with consumer trust and eco-brand love. Finally, consumer trust significantly influenced eco-brand love and brand advocacy, while eco-brand love further influenced brand advocacy in the eco-friendly hotels. With the support of these findings, all related entrepreneurs in eco-friendly hotels can apply this research framework to advance their eco-friendly services to gain higher guest advocacy in their eco-friendly hotels.