Does Eco Certification Sell Tourism Services? Evidence from a Quasi-Experimental Observation Study in Iceland

• Main Authors: Karlsson, Logi, Dolnicar, Sara
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Center for Open Science 2021
• Subjects: Iceland
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/3vzk7

This study investigates – using a quasi-experimental field design – whether eco certification of tourism services affects tourists’ choices of service providers. Results indicate that, in times of high tourism demand, eco certification is unlikely to offer a competitive advantage. In times of low tourism demand, however, the niche segment of tourists who consider environmental impact when booking a tourism service may be of critical value to tourism businesses, making eco certification an attractive long-term risk minimization strategy. The study also shows that tourists’ self-reports of factors affecting their choice of a tour are heavily affected by social desirability bias. As such, they should not be used as a basis for managerial decision making with respect to whether or not eco certification pays should be pursued.