Sustainability Practices at Hotels and BnB Establishments …
349
case hosts too, long for what Krippendorf called “emotional recreation” (1987: 74),
that is, activities and experiences that are not part of the everyday life and that provide
people with “intellectual, physical, and even spiritual stimulation” (Harrison 2003:
27). These experiences are only possible when those who provide them have similar
cultural assets (education, skills, life experiences) than those who want to enjoy them.
Here the tourist consumption of the BnB experience and holiday in Gotland becomes
valuable and enriching for both parties, the host and the guest, because of the shared
contents.
To realize their visions of a better life, in which their knowledge, skills, and ideals
are shared with their guests to create a valuable and memorable experience, participants engage their guests during their visits. Pine and Gilmore (1999) “observed that
a memorable experience must engage consumers across dimensions through active
participation in which all senses are involved” (Griggio 2015: 254). This perspective
can also be expanded to hosts. One of the most salient ways participants engage
their guests staying at their BnB is through strategies of sustainability. One interesting aspect of this research concerns participants ideas and practices of sustainability.
When asked to define what sustainability is for them, all participants said that sustainability for them was: recycling, using the car less, and buying local produces—food
and crafts and giving hints on different cultural/historical objects to visit. One lady
for instance, has taken the decision not to fly anymore in order to reduce her carbon
footprint.
To sum up this part of the analysis it seems that BnB owners, through their
statements, can be seen as persons aware of all the four pillars of sustainability. One
of the hotel managers can be seen as a lifestyle entrepreneur. Her small privatelyowned establishment is run by sustainable thinking throughout. Her goal in future is
to become the most sustainable hotel in the island.
16 Hotel Managers
Hotel managers, interviewed in this study, are pointing out the importance of strategies for sustainability in their hotels but not all have started to work for or have even
goals drawn up for this work. They do not talk about value-creation, importance of it
for themselves or their staff in understanding sustainability goals. Five of the managers are working in the bigger international hotel chains and have both education
and engagement on sustainability issues. They seem to be aware of the global issues
of sustainability and express their worries over the planet. But most of them seem
to follow the market logic within their statements by telling that customers now are
demanding some sustainable solutions. Still, majority of the managers doesn’t even
touch this topic in their statements. It can be understood as lack of knowledge on
sustainability issues or that managers took sustainability issues as granted. Managers
are clearly connecting the issues of sustainability to their assignment and not into
their personal life.
349
case hosts too, long for what Krippendorf called “emotional recreation” (1987: 74),
that is, activities and experiences that are not part of the everyday life and that provide
people with “intellectual, physical, and even spiritual stimulation” (Harrison 2003:
27). These experiences are only possible when those who provide them have similar
cultural assets (education, skills, life experiences) than those who want to enjoy them.
Here the tourist consumption of the BnB experience and holiday in Gotland becomes
valuable and enriching for both parties, the host and the guest, because of the shared
contents.
To realize their visions of a better life, in which their knowledge, skills, and ideals
are shared with their guests to create a valuable and memorable experience, participants engage their guests during their visits. Pine and Gilmore (1999) “observed that
a memorable experience must engage consumers across dimensions through active
participation in which all senses are involved” (Griggio 2015: 254). This perspective
can also be expanded to hosts. One of the most salient ways participants engage
their guests staying at their BnB is through strategies of sustainability. One interesting aspect of this research concerns participants ideas and practices of sustainability.
When asked to define what sustainability is for them, all participants said that sustainability for them was: recycling, using the car less, and buying local produces—food
and crafts and giving hints on different cultural/historical objects to visit. One lady
for instance, has taken the decision not to fly anymore in order to reduce her carbon
footprint.
To sum up this part of the analysis it seems that BnB owners, through their
statements, can be seen as persons aware of all the four pillars of sustainability. One
of the hotel managers can be seen as a lifestyle entrepreneur. Her small privatelyowned establishment is run by sustainable thinking throughout. Her goal in future is
to become the most sustainable hotel in the island.
16 Hotel Managers
Hotel managers, interviewed in this study, are pointing out the importance of strategies for sustainability in their hotels but not all have started to work for or have even
goals drawn up for this work. They do not talk about value-creation, importance of it
for themselves or their staff in understanding sustainability goals. Five of the managers are working in the bigger international hotel chains and have both education
and engagement on sustainability issues. They seem to be aware of the global issues
of sustainability and express their worries over the planet. But most of them seem
to follow the market logic within their statements by telling that customers now are
demanding some sustainable solutions. Still, majority of the managers doesn’t even
touch this topic in their statements. It can be understood as lack of knowledge on
sustainability issues or that managers took sustainability issues as granted. Managers
are clearly connecting the issues of sustainability to their assignment and not into
their personal life.