How much greenery matters: effects on visual attention, guest perceptions and brand outcomes

Purpose This study aims to investigate how varying levels of indoor greenery capture visual attention and affect guest perceptions and brand outcomes. It also examines the mediating roles of fascination and perceived aesthetic quality in linking greenery to brand outcomes. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-design experiment exposed participants to two virtual hotel lobbies: a control with no greenery and one of three greenery conditions (low: 2% coverage, medium: 16% or high: 30%). Eye tracking captured gaze behavior during exposure, while post-exposure surveys measured fascination, aesthetic quality, brand love and willingness to pay more. Findings Indoor greenery attracted greater visual attention than the no-greenery condition, as indicated by generally higher fixation counts and longer dwell times. Even low greenery enhanced fascination, aesthetic quality, brand love and willingness to pay more, with medium and high conditions producing progressively stronger effects. Fascination and aesthetic quality increased brand love, which subsequently strengthened willingness to pay more. Practical implications The findings highlight the strategic value of indoor greenery as a visually salient hospitality servicescape feature that enhances guest perceptions and supports brand outcomes. Furthermore, this study suggests that indoor greenery can serve as a strategic brand-signaling cue that helps align guest perceptions with desired market positioning. Originality/value By combining eye tracking and self-reported measures across four experimental conditions, this study provides objective evidence of greenery’s visual salience and identifies the perceptual pathways linking it to brand outcomes.