How to Communicate Sustainability in Tourism: Examining Value-Based Drivers for Advertising Effectiveness

As in many other industries, sustainability is becoming increasingly important in tourism. Travel agencies, hotels and tour providers try to differentiate themselves through eco travel offerings. The most effective communication of the added value of sustainability in tourism is still unexplored. It depends on the values and motives of consumers. Building on the Value Belief Norm Theory, this empirical study distinguishes between egocentric, altruistic and biospheric value orientation that may drive sustainable consumption. A between-subject experimental design of these three value orientations for a hotel advertisement shows that no orientation is generally superior in terms of advertising effectiveness. Rather, it depends on the compatibility of the personal value orientation and the value communication in the advertising. The observed data also indicates a correlation of gender and age with the effectiveness of sustainable tourism ads. In addition to practical implications, the study also makes a theoretical contribution by applying established research models to effectively communicate sustainability in tourism.