CSR AS AN INFLUENCING FACTOR IN THE CONSUMER DECISION PROCESS OF HOTEL USERS IN IRELAND

Shirley Millar Dr. Aisling Ward

‘Consumers their wider increasingly information and reassurance that interests, purchasing behaviour’ require such as environmental and social concerns, are being taken into account in their European Commission (2002)

Figure 1 Shoppers by Green Purchasing Development Level

(Grocery Manufacturers Association and Deloitte, 2009)

The Attitude – Behaviour Gap

Consumer Priorities…..  Price,  Quality  Convenience

Source: Failte Ireland (2009)

Primary Research Methodology    Triangulation Method Tourist Locations / Corporate Hotels Varied types of hotels in the South West

Important Factors when Choosing a Hotel Percent Price Location Quality of Service Reputation Quality of Facilities Star Rating Employee Welfare Leisure Facilities Employee Education Community Support Energy Conservation Recycling Charitable Donations Family Facilities Business facilities Not Important

4.8

5.4

7.2

7.8

7.8

16.8

24 24 34.2

39 41 45.8

45 56.9

62.3

Indifferent

10.2

10.8

10.8

18 16.8

46.7

40.9

34.7

24.7

31.7

36.7

36.1

41.9

25.8

25.2

Important

85 83.8

82 74.2

75.4

36.5

37.2

41.3

31.2

29.4

22.2

18 13.2

17.4

12.6

Mean 4.35

4.26

4.16

3.98

3.92

3.26

3.22

3.17

2.90

2.84

2.66

2.55

2.50

2.28

2.14

Consumer Responses Actively search for environmentally conscious hotels Would a knowledge of environmental activities influence perception?

Actively search for socially conscious hotels Would a knowledge of environmental activities influence perception?

Yes No ?

13% 73% 14% 57% 35% 8% 10% 76% 14% 56% 36% 8%

Deciding Factor?

ENVIRONMENTAL

26% 42% 32% Yes No Don’t Know 18%

SOCIAL

50% 32% Yes No Don’t Know

CSR in the Irish Hotel Industry  Inchydoney Island Hotel & Spa – wood  Castleknock Country Club – SME eco  Kilashee House – Naas Chamber of Commerce award for community and  Bush Hotel – European Eco flower  Clontarf Castle Hotel – responsible  Maryborough Hotel and Spa – 1 Ireland to achieve EFQM level 5 st Hotel in

Consumer Access to Information  Lack of access in the Irish hotel industry  Missed opportunity in the purchase decision process

Hotel Respondents  Lack of awareness among hotel respondents of the uses of CSR to gain a competitive advantage  None list CSR activities on their official website  70% list publicity from CSR activities as a motivating factor, yet, only 10% include CSR in their marketing strategy

To conclude…..

 Almost 60% of consumers respondents were not aware of hotel’s CSR activities  Over 56% revealed that knowledge of same would influence their perception  90% of hotel respondents did not use CSR activities in their marketing strategy  Social networking websites could be an ideal method of combining word of mouth and the internet to deliver information on hotel’s CSR activities to the consumer.