Ecological Thinking and Certification of Hotel Service Providers in Slovakia

  • Gejza Mikuláš TIMČÁK VSB, Technical University Ostrava
  • Jana JABLONSKÁ Department of Geo and Mining Tourism, Technical University of Kosice
  • Ladislav MIXTAJ Department of Geo and Mining Tourism, Technical University of Kosice
  • Ľubomír ŠTRBA Department of Geo and Mining Tourism, Technical University of Kosice
  • Ján DERCO Department of Geo and Mining Tourism, Technical University of Kosice
  • Erik WEISS Department of Geo and Mining Tourism, Technical University of Kosice

Abstract

One of the major areas, where sustainability is a very important issue is the hotel industry. Presently
there are a number of projects – some spearheaded by NGOs, some by professional or governmental bodies
– which audit hotels and lodging providers from the point of view of sustainability and “green” performance.
The paper analyses the approach of the hotel industry, as well as clients to “greening”. The perception of ecofriendliness
varies, however from culture to culture. The paper analyses the case of environmental awareness
of hospitality service providers 3 and 4 star hotels and their attitude towards “green” performance in one of the
emerging tourism destinations - Slovakia.

References

[1] Bastic, M. and Gojcic, S. 2012. Measurement scale for eco-component of hotel service quality. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 31: 1012-1020. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2011.12.007
[2] Bodnarova, M. 2007. Projekt implementovania ISO 14001 v hoteli Gloria Palace (Unpublished master’s thesis). Technical University of Kosice, Kosice.
[3] Brundtland, G. H. (Ed.) 1987. Our common future. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
[4] Buhalis, D. 2000. Marketing the competitive destination of the future. Tourism Management, 21: 97-116. DOI:10.1016/S0261-5177(99)00095-3
[5] Chan, E.S.W. 2008. Barriers to EMS in the hotel industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 27: 187-196. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2007.07.011
[6] Chan, E.S.W., and Wong, S.C.K. 2006. Motivations for ISO 14001 in the hotel industry. Tourism Management, 27: 481-492. DOI: 10.1016/j.tourman.2004.10.007
[7] Font, X. 2002. Environmental certification in tourism and hospitality: Progress, process and prospects. Tourism Management, 23: 197-205. DOI: 10.1016/S0261-5177(01)00084-X
[8] Haaland, H., and Aas, Ø. 2010. Eco-tourism certification - does it make a difference? A comparison of systems from Australia, Costa Rica and Sweden. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 10: 375-385. DOI: 10.1080/15022250.2010.486262
[9] Han, H., and Kim, Y. 2010. An investigation of green hotel customers' decision formation: Developing an extended model of the theory of planned behavior. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 29: 659-668. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2009.02.004
[10] Han, H., Hsu, L. T. J., and Lee, J. S. 2009. Empirical investigation of the roles of attitudes toward green behaviors, overall image, gender, and age in hotel customers' eco-friendly decision-making process. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 28: 519-528.
[11] Jarvis, N., Weeden, C., and Simcock, N. 2010. The benefits and challenges of sustainable tourism certification: A case study of the Green Tourist Business Scheme in the West of England. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 17: 83-93. DOI:10.1375/jhtm.17.1.83
[12] Kirk, D. 1998. Attitudes to environmental management held by a group of hotel managers in Edinburgh. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 17: 33-47. DOI:10.1016/S0278-4319(98)00005-X
[13] Miklovicova, J. 2013. Basic indicators of tourism of the Slovak republic for accommodation establishments in 4th quarter 2012, Bratislava: Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic.
[14] Moufakkir, O. 2008. Destination image revisited: The Dutch market perceptions of Morocco as a tourism destination. In P. Burns and M. Novelli (Eds.), Tourism development: Growth, Myths and Inequalities (pp. 85-110). Wallingsford: CABI.
[15] Prentice, R. 2004. Tourist familiarity and imagery. Annals of Tourism Research, 31: 923-945. doi:10.1016/j.annals.2004.02.008
[16] Quazi, H. A., Yeo, S. W., Koh, P. L., and Yip, Ch. Y. 1999. Measuring the impact of the implementation of environmental management system: the behavior of cost–benefit curves. In Proceedings of the Third Asian Academy of Management Conference, 16–17 July, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia. pp. 491–496.
[17] Reznickova, L. 2015. Výskum možností kvantifikácie dopadu turizmu na životné prostredie v oblasti Gemera za účelom konvergencie k trvalo udržateľnému rozvoju. (Unpublished doctoral thesis) Technical University of Kosice, Kosice.
[18] Ryglova, K. 2007. Eco-certification as a tool of sustainable tourism. Agricultural Economics, 53: 138-143.
[19] Scheyvens, R. 1999. Ecotourism and the empowerment of local communities. Tourism Management, 20: 245-249. DOI:10.1016/S0261-5177(98)00069-7
[20] Tietenberg, T. 1994. Environmental economics and policy. New York: Harpers Publ.
*** Association of Slovakian Hotels and Restaurants 2013. Zelený program. Retrieved from: http://www.zhrsr.sk/index.php/o-zvaze/temy/68-zeleny-program
*** EnviWeb 2010. Ekologicke hotely v Cechach konci? Retrieved from: http://www.enviweb.cz/clanek/dovol/ 84031/ekologicke-hotely-v-cechach-konci
*** European Parliament and Council of the European Union 2009. Regulation (EC) No 1221/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 November 2009 on the voluntary participation by organisations in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (EMAS), repealing Regulation (EC) No 761/2001 and Commission Decisions 2001/681/EC and 2006/193/EC. Retrieved from: http://eur-lex. europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32009R1221&from=EN
*** Green Globe 2011. Green Globe Certification Standards and Guide to Certification. Retrieved from: http://greenglobe.com/standard/
*** Slovakia. Travel 2015. Region of Gemer and Malohont. Retrieved from: http://slovakia.travel/en/ region-of-gemer-and-malohont
*** Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic 2015. Regional Statistical Yearbook of Slovakia 2015. Retrieved from: https://slovak.statistics.sk/PortalTraffic/fileServlet?Dokument=e486a7ef-d70f-423e-a36b-e4160e 460 876
*** UNWTO 2012. Tourism highlights, 2012 Edition. Retrieved from: http://mkt.unwto.org/sites/all/files/ docpdf/unwtohighlights12enhr.pdf
Published
2016-11-14
How to Cite
TIMČÁK, Gejza Mikuláš et al. Ecological Thinking and Certification of Hotel Service Providers in Slovakia. Journal of Environmental Management and Tourism, [S.l.], v. 7, n. 2, p. 321-326, nov. 2016. ISSN 2068-7729. Available at: <https://journals.aserspublishing.eu/jemt/article/view/338>. Date accessed: 05 nov. 2024.
Section
Journal of Environmental Management and Tourism

Keywords

hospitality; greening; ecological awareness; eco-labelling; Slovakia