The Perception of millennial generation on green restaurants

Abstract

Companies with a sustainable business model in the hospitality industry are increasing. Not only hotels recognize the need to respond to sustainable pressures, but also restaurants in the form of Green restaurants are becoming more popular. Despite some research on how consumers perceive Green practises in restaurants and the factors that influence visit intention or WTP (Dutta et al., 2008; EunHa Jeong et al., 2014; Namkung & Jang, 2014), little research exists on the attitude of millennials in relation to WTP for Green restaurants. The aim of research is to gain a better understanding of how the millennial generation perceives Green restaurants. The research is an exploratory study with a focus on millennials attitudes and how this influences their WTP. A survey is conducted among a sample population of 253 people between the age of 18 and 35. The results show that millennials attitude towards Green consumerism is highest, followed by health consciousness and influence from friends and social media respectively. However, health consciousness is not an influencing factor with regards to WTP whereas the other two attitudes are. This research provided an enhancement on previous literature with a specific focus on the millennial generation and its WTP. This is important since millennials are the generation with the largest amount of disposable income compared to other generations (Farris & Chong, 2002). Green restaurant managers therefore have to gain a deep understanding of the underlying motives of this generation and their attitudes. This will help them to form a more attractive marketing strategy.