Why Do Consumers Hesitate to Choose Green Hotels? The Role of Psychology of Ambivalence

Bibliographic Data

ID21652872
AuthorsHsin-Hui Hu “Sunny” Hu (0000-0002-3385-5334, Ming Chuan University), Hsin-Yi Hu (National United University), H G Parsa (0000-0002-9463-9037, Professor, Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality Management, Daniels College of Business, Denver, CO, USA, corresponding author)
Year2026
Volume50
Issue5
Pages641-654
Publication date2026-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Hospitality & Tourism Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1096-3480 • E-ISSN: 1557-7554
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/10963480251382905
OpenAlexW4414244760
LanguageEN
References cited69

Many consumers may endorse environmental conservation, but, in reality, they may not truly practice it when making reservations at hotels. This observed inconsistency (or contradiction) could be explained by consumers’ ambivalent attitude towards green hotels. The current study examines the impact of ambivalent attitudes on consumers’ willingness to patronize green hotels. Study 1 examines the effects of environmental involvement and the need for cognition on ambivalent attitudes toward green hotels. Study 2, employing a 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design, explores the moderating roles of argument quality and source credibility in the relationship between ambivalence and behavioral intentions. The results indicat that a high level of consumer involvement in environmental issues and the desire to engage in demand cognition could reduce ambivalent attitudes towards green hotels, thereby promoting patronage and participation in green practices. Source credibility leads to a significant influence on the association between ambivalent attitudes and behavioral intentions

Ambivalence · Cognition · Credibility · Source credibility · Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification · Consumer Retail Behavior Studies · Environmental Sustainability in Business

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