38

• Research objectives and questionsBy examining perceptions of green practices deployed through the sustainable business model in the hotel industry, this study aims to go beyond a simple positive–negative dichotomy and account for multiple explanatory factors, including perceptions of the effort required of the hotel versus the customer, the impact of green practices on customers’ stay, the hotel’s financial motivation, the environmental effectiveness of green practices, and the hotel’s environmental commitment.• MethodologyWith an integrative list of 36 green practices, a quantitative study involving a panel of 967 hotel guests measures their perceptions of each practice. Building on their responses, the authors develop a typology, using ascending hierarchical clustering coupled with k-means.• ResultsThe findings reveal that consumers perceive five groups of green practices: fair, confusing, opportunistic, outstanding, and accessory. According to detailed descriptions of these groups, variation in one or two perceptual dimensions can shift the assignment from one group to another.• Implications for marketing decisionHoteliers can use the typology and reported findings to anticipate and enhance customers’ perceptions of their green practices and thereby improve their sustainable value delivery.• OriginalityBy offering a global vision of green practices, this study highlights some surprising findings, particularly with regard to the many practices perceived as confusing, as well as biased perceptions of the environmental impact of practices that require customer effort.