KOREASCHOLAR

As one of the biggest service-oriented industries worldwide, the hotel industry significantly contributes to environmental degradation in several ways. Service marketers, consumers, and policy makers are increasingly aware of the damage that excessive natural resources depletion in the guise of water and energy consumption and CO2 emissions by hotels might bring about to the planet. As a result of the growing global concern about climate change, there has been an increase in consumer demand for environmentally-responsible hospitality options. One such option is green hotels, which are environmentally-conscious hospitality properties that are gaining popularity worldwide at a rapid pace. Consumers who prioritize eco-friendliness are willing to pay a premium for green hotels. However, unlike tangible products, services such as hotel experiences are subjective, emotional, and therefore, difficult to evaluate before actual usage. One of the prominent ways in which consumers assess green hotels’ credibility is through user generated content in the form of reviews.

• Vaibhav Shwetangbhai Diwanji(University of Kansas, United States)
• Jaejin Lee(Florida State University, United States)
• Juliann Cortese(Florida State University, United States)
• Kyeongwon Kwon(Florida State University, United States)