Boutique Hotels - Technology, Social Media and Green Highlights

Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology
Boutique hotels: technology, social media and green practices

Denise Kleinrichert Mehmet Ergul Colin Johnson Mert Uydaci
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Boutique hotels: technology,

social media and green practices
Boutique hotels
Denise Kleinrichert, Mehmet Ergul and Colin Johnson

San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, USA, and
211
Mert Uydaci
Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey
Received 2 February 2012

Accepted 20 March 2012
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to link consumer use of technology to two very popular
themes in the hospitality industry: boutique hotels and environmental responsibility.
Design/methodology/approach The case study focuses on how boutique hotels legitimize their
green practices through the use of technology web sites, social media to communicate their
environmental recognitions to discerning eco-conscious consumers seeking small lodgings. The
authors analyze the type of environmental legitimacy practices used by the boutique hotel segment of
the tourism industry, using a variety of international, regional, or trade recognized environmental
evaluation assessments to legitimize their boutique hotel green practices. A diverse sample of boutique
hotel accommodations in two attractive, but similar international destinations Istanbul, Turkey and
San Francisco, California are used, through content analysis of hotel web sites.
Findings San Francisco Bay Area hoteliers, in the majority of instances, used their web sites to
illustrate one international standard, LEED certification, for building structure. However, these
hoteliers generally reported use of varying regional standards for legitimizing their green practices.
Istanbul hoteliers reported on maintaining international standards for legitimizing their green
practices, but did not seek specific standards for building structures.
Research limitations/implications Future research surveys of specific consumer perceptions of
their search and experience would prove valuable in terms of destination selection and experience of
environmentally-conscious boutique hotels. Social media and related web sites utilize consumer
self-reporting, which would add additional insight for future research in this area.
Originality/value The authors analysis studies the web promotion of two similar geographic
tourism destination boutique hotels use of international versus regional legitimacy of their
environmental practices.
Keywords United States of America, Turkey, Hotels, Web sites, Advertising, Boutique hotels,
Environmental management systems, Green tourism, Istanbul, San Francisco, Social media, Technology
Paper type Case study
Introduction
The differences in environmental management system (EMS) choices of boutique
hotels in two internationally recognized destinations can be observed in the way these
hoteliers reach out to consumers by using technology. While the major chain hotels
have adapted their processes to include environmental performance management,
especially in energy, water and waste management, small individual hotels often have
less access to sophisticated technology, may be and situated in more remote or rural
locations, and may lack the know-how and technological expertise to consider the
import of technology reach to consumers. EMS guidelines provide a systematic,
holistic approach to identify and control the environmental impact of business
operations to external stakeholders (consumers, etc.). We selected boutique hotels
Journal of Hospitality and Tourism

Technology
Vol. 3 No. 3, 2012
pp. 211-225
q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
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DOI 10.1108/17579881211264495
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because of their distinct competitive segment of the tourism market and the hospitality
affinity they offer for tourists. Our definition of boutique hotel includes small,
privately owned individual and franchise inns and lodgings that represent, a new
brand of hotel, similar to but distinct from independent historic hotels, that focuses not
on the past, but on contemporary cultural, social and/or environmental trends
(Swig et al., 2002). We focus here on a narrow analysis of the specific environmental
management practice methodologies of small boutique hotels, independently-owned,
as contemporary niche properties designed to serve urban and specialty-destination
locations with a specific cultural personality that engenders an emotional connection
with guests (Lee et al., 2010; Swig et al., 2002). In other words, heart-felt characteristics
of small hotels could include concepts such as quirky, irreverent, or cool (Conley, 2011).
These boutique hotels have often appealed to forward-thinking, particular interests,
such as environmental awareness. We are interested in the EMS choices of boutique
hotel owners to guide and legitimize their environmental practices using either
international (i.e. ISO 14001) or a regional EMS methodology. And, we recognize the
importance of the tech reach for these hoteliers to communicate their green awareness
and legitimacy. We acknowledge the increasing influence on and value to hoteliers to
take further steps towards promoting their green practices beyond their web sites
through social media that draws consumers to their web sites.
Importance and impact of technology
Information and communication technologies (ICT) have become indispensable for
business processes to compete internationally. Major hotel chains have often adopted
ICT, especially in the areas of operations, marketing and communications, and customer
service and relationship management (DiPietro and Wang, 2010).
An area that has sometimes been neglected, however, is small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs) using ICT in the area of environmental sustainability for business
activities (Cobanoglu, 2010; Ruiz-Molina et al., 2010). As it has been estimated that
75 percent of hotel environmental impacts may be attributed to the excessive
consumption of non-durable goods, energy, water and various waste emissions released
into the air, water and soil (Cobanoglu, 2010; Ruiz-Molina et al., 2010), there is evidently
a great potential that ICT could harness to improve environmental performance and
awareness among consumers and other stakeholders.
On both the supply and demand side, there is a need to keep abreast of developments
with web 2.0 technologies. On the demand side, the importance of online social
networking sites (Facebook et al.) and customer review sites, such as Yelp!, have
redefined the paradigm of customer selection of hospitality properties. Social media has
increased the traffic to hotels web sites, which makes the legitimization of green
standards all the more critical for these properties. Kasavana et al. (2010) state that two
thirds of adult travelers view videos online and 40 percent will read blogs, review
photographs and take the virtual tours that are offered by hotel properties. These tech
sites also advise consumers, either with a positive image and hotel experience, or provide
feedback from the hospitality companies themselves. Moreover, social media can often
appear to be of an inconsistent and subjective nature.
Recent studies (Han et al., 2011; Lee et al., 2010) have reported on the importance of
green practices from the perspective of the hotel guest. In the first study, the authors
concluded that it is the effective communication of the hotel as a user and provider
of green products and services that is extremely important in the development

of a green image and a green positioning strategy. Consumers consider these aspects in
their choices of lodging as well. The major motive behind guests selecting a green hotel
is that they believe that their purchase decision contributes to saving the planet
and leaving a green environment for their children (p. 910). In the second study, it was
seen that going green could provide an important marketing advantage, especially
through understanding the attitudinal profiles of guests towards eco-friendly practices.
The level of responsibility (towards the environment) of the business made the most
difference in customers paying a premium for a green hotel. It is important, therefore,
that hotels educate their potential guests of the efforts they make in responsible
environmental practices (Cobanoglu, 2008). In other words, the linking of ICT to
improve the awareness of hotel environmental performance through technology and
social networking is a critical communication device. For example, one study found
that female customers showed a greater propensity to buy green lodging and to pay
more based on the social awareness that the hotel was eco-friendly (Han et al., 2011).
Theoretical implications
Our discussion provides the theoretical implications of EMS and corresponding
standards motivating boutique hotel owners choice among environmental practice
measurements as managerial and marketing tools. Previous studies have focused on
chain hotels and mainstream tourism towards environmental and sustainable business
practices. Those discussions demonstrate significant outcomes for the hospitality
industry, for both large and small-scale operations and the use of EMS approaches by
a majority of hotel chains (Johnson, 2002).
EMS practices are included under the term, corporate social responsibility (CSR),
which is the notion that companies have an ethical, economic, legal, social and
environmental responsibility to their stakeholders for the business decisions and
practices impacting both direct and indirect market relationships (Carroll, 1979). CSR
practices apply across industry boundaries. Holcomb et al. (2007, pp. 465, 468) analyzed
CSR in the top ten hotel companies ranked in 2005 to determine the presence or absence
of CSR behaviors, including the environmental practices of each company. Other
studies have focused on major, metropolitan destination cities to determine how tourism
might be built around the notion of greening hotels and related tourism market players
based on consumer demand (Gibson et al., 2003). Green hospitality has become a hot
issue it has been argued that it no longer is a niche movement, but rather a mainstream
current (Tzschentke et al., 2004; Wang and Wang, 2009). As such, hotel rankings are
routinely reported in social media sites, with inclusion of consumer comments about
environmental practices at hotel properties. These comments serve to further legitimize
green standards and practices.
Research on consumer choice among hotel options during travel has demonstrated
significant findings of travelers preferences for hotels with an environmental attitude
and sustainability ( Johnson, 2002, p. 9). Moreover, researchers have noted that public
concern and the United Nations proclamation of the year 2002 as the International Year
of Ecotourism has created a groundswell of increased interest in the environmental
practices and legitimacy of those practices by the hotel industry (Johnson, 2002). This
legitimization of the need to green tourism is also an indicated benefit for the
industry brand loyalty among consumers who pursue products and services that are
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not only of value and quality, but also that do not cause harm to air, water and land
(Font and Tribe, 2001). One study of small hospitality properties in the tourism industry
demonstrated that both firm value and ethical concerns were the reasons behind
decisions towards seeking environmental accreditation by businesses in Scotland
(Tzschentke et al., 2004). Further studies have sought to determine what factors, if any,
affect consumers awareness and interest level towards environmentally savvy hotels
and whether there might be differences in consumer attitudes based on their specific
demographics (Han et al., 2011). Further, some would argue that you are where you
sleep (Conley, 2011). Consumers are also keenly savvy about the use of technology
in searching for hotel properties, customer experience reviews, and legitimate sources of
recognition (such as awards and distinctions).
Our interest is in laying the future groundwork for a consumer-approach study
based on the preliminary key question of what type of EMS methodology boutique
hotels seek in guiding their environmental practices. And, how these practices are
communicated in the new media of technology follows from that investigation. The
consumer choice may garner specific environmental awards for boutique hoteliers
based on the use of formalized environmental standards. One early study analyzed
how hotel practice awards developed consumer value for hoteliers (Font and Tribe,
2001). The advent of environmental awards seems to have led to more standardized
approaches by external entities in legitimizing the greening of hotels; therefore, our
focus in this paper is on recognized EMS accreditations, standards or adopted practices
based on either regional or international bases.
Why green hotels?
Green hotels represent a specific mindset and panache to potential and ongoing
consumers. In other words, according to co-founder of Post Ranch Inn, Mike Reed,
green is the new luxury and hotels that arent green will lose customers (Chang, 2010,
p. 13). The global trend towards seeking environmentally conscious products and
services, including those in the hospitality industry, began in the early 1990s (Lee et al.,
2010), following an earlier period of public environmental awareness in the USA with the
declaration of Earth Day in 1970 (Freeman, 2002; Lowenthal, 1970) as a celebration of
community based initiative and innovation and a recognition that the frontier is gone,
as attributed to the organizer (Hayes, 1980, p. 57). Moreover, a decade ago a coalition of
business, investor and public interest groups, CERES, studied and brought together
travel, hospitality, government and environmental groups to discuss the lack of US
leading advancement in meeting the needs of the environment, communities and
consumers towards environmentally friendly hotels (Conner, 2000). Studies have
shown that hotel guests increasingly seek a green hotel based on motivations towards
preserving the natural environment for their children and future generations, as well as
a personal sense of well-being (Lee et al., 2010). These qualitative factors in consumer
determinations of brand choice in hotels reflect an array of green hotel practices.
Standards and shades of green
Green means different things to various stakeholders, particularly hospitality
consumers. The environmental practices of boutique hotels are no different than those
of corporate properties similarly engaged in adopting environmental standards, but
consumers may place different levels of trust in the former based on perceptions
of intimate vs commercial branding engagement. Branding is a critical factor for

boutique hotels it sets them apart from commercial and/or large-scale domestic and
international hotels through very specific types of experience branding. Furthermore,
boutique hotel consumers tend to be a rare brand in that by their very interest
in unique hotel experiences, they have differentiated themselves (Lee et al., 2010).
Second, within this subset, some consumers have a propensity to seek eco-friendly
properties for their holidays due to their personal, environmental commitments.
Consumer savvy has increased with the advent of technology specifically, the internet
and its vast reservoir of data. Tourism research is readily available, informative
and continuously updated in a number of domains. The caveat emptor in internet
searches for hotel and tourism sites is no different than any other consumer goods or
services purporting green characteristics. Careful analysis of the definition of
environmental impacts and aspects of hotel properties is required. In addition, studies
have determined that a number of other factors affect environmental awareness and
choice about lodging demographic characteristics such as age, gender, education and
income (Han et al., 2011).
The greenwashing caution in the tourism industry is no different than any
other sector of market entrepreneurs and corporate entities who casually purport
environmental consciousness with an eco prefix to a root word, such as eco-tourism
(Benz, 2000, p. 216). In other words, eco-friendly terms can be appropriated and attached
in either mistaken or misrepresented circumstances. Therefore, we examine specific
standards used to identify voluntarily selected legitimization of environmental practices.
Mueller et al. (2009) analyzed the connection between four commonly accepted
environmental and social standards on stakeholder confidence in the legitimacy of
such adoption in the hospitality industry. These four standards are: ISO
14001 (Environmental Accountability), SA 8000 (Social Accountability), Fair Labor
Association (FLA), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) (Mueller et al., 2009). These
standards provide a comparison of commonly used social and environmental practices.
Urban locales offer a number of benefits for study of the hospitality industry, but also
present some distinct challenges for the environmental impacts of these properties
(Gibson et al., 2003). However, we focus specifically on the environmental practices and
management of boutique hotels, with only international and regional environmental
standards comparisons in the use of various EMS criteria. We will provide examples
of a selection of boutique hotels within reach of the urban environs of the San Francisco
Bay Area and Istanbul Metropolitan Area.
Many hotels seek legitimacy towards environmental standards among customers
and other stakeholders by developing a reputation for being eco-friendly. Some join
online environmental organizations, such as Carbonfund.org (2011), and use these
entities logos on their hotel web sites for visible affirmation. In fact, there are
innumerable travel industry and related publications that award environmental
recommendations and designations. However, these latter awards are not based on
rigorous or universally consistent standards. The choice of an assessable EMS is critical
to sustaining long-term trust in a hotels motivation to provide genuine meaning as a
green hotel. There are a number of instruments available to mainstream and boutique
hoteliers. In this paper, we note the available international and regional standards.
Boutique hotel owners select their EMS approach voluntarily, and for a particular
purpose (i.e. affecting positive environmental impact in the community,
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branding and consumer relationships, local and/or geographic ordinances, etc.). Lee et al.
(2010) argue that environmental hotel practices are informed by planned, consumer
behavioral intention in hotel choice of stay. Further, the results of the study by Lee et al.
(2010, p. 908) determined that hotel consumers who experienced stays at green hotels
had the following responses: (1) the intention to make positive recommendations
to others, (2) the willingness to pay a premium price and (3) the intention to revisit the
hotel in the future.
Therefore, we seek to resolve the following question. Do boutique hotels use
recognized international standards, or have they adopted either a regional methodology
or a uniquely-designed set of criteria? Each of these set of criteria employ quantitative
and qualitative aspects of environmental assessments of both hoteling praxis and
property, assessed and certified by third party entities specific to the undertaking.
We categorize our analysis into two areas international standards (i.e. ISO 14001 and
LEED) and regional evaluative certifications (local geographic standards or awards)
used by boutique hotels.
International standards
ISO 14001
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is a long-standing, legitimate
non-governmental international standards entity comprised of 162 member country
institutes (either public, governmental or private sector industry partnerships). Among
the nearly 20,000 standards, ISO 14001 was developed in 2004 for industry-unspecific
environmental performance standards for EMS (ISO, 2011; Mueller et al., 2009). As with
all ISO standards, this standard focuses very specific, technical evaluative
measurements of site-related processes and property, which in our case are the
boutique hotels. These evaluations do not extend to the vendors and suppliers of
materials of each hotel property, but are so specialized that most businesses require
third party assistance in interpretation and application (ISO, 2011). Moreover, despite
its widespread acclamation, the standard suffers a number of perceptional challenges.
Inclusive in these arguments are issues related to legitimacy of its lack of regional
constituency inclusiveness on the standards board and the high costs associated with
its adoption and maintenance, which mandates annual appraisals and comprehensive
environmental audits every three years (Mueller et al., 2009). These challenges hold
perceptions of complexity and cost that persist among hoteliers and consultancy
organizations that assist privately-held hotels in attaining a green certification
representative of the boutique hotel culture and branding of our study.
Stakeholders place legitimacy (Bouwen, 2003; Dingwerth, 2005; Mitchell et al., 1997;
Phillips, 2003) in environmental practices of hotels based on a number of factors,
including adoption of green standards and the transparency of the satisfaction of the
adoption of such standards; however, there is debate in the research literature of this
genre as to the level of consumer trust and its correlative to property reputation and
branding success. ISO 14001 does not require stakeholder contact or discourse, thus
leaving a void and mystery about the meaning of the process. Further, green standards
unilaterally engage third party certification for precise thresholds that demonstrate an
entitys compliance to specific processes to reduce environmental impacts on various
aspects of the natural environment (Mueller et al., 2009). Rather, because consumers do
not have input in either component of the methodology of green certification under
ISO 14001, its meaning for legitimacy may be diminished, and untenable for boutique
hotel pursuit. Recall, one of the tenets of boutique hotels is the close, emotional bond
consumers seek to engage in their stay in these properties (Font and Tribe, 2001;
Lee et al., 2010). Therefore, regional standards may be more appealing to both the
property owners and their consumer guests due to geographic proximity, ease of
adoption, qualitative assessments, affinity for the destination and trust in locals.
For example:
.
Average-sized hotels purchase more products in one week than 100 families do in
a year. Consumers want at least 50 percent of those purchases to be
environmentally preferable products.
.
Waste generation can be as high as 30 pounds per room per day; as much as
80 percent of these materials can be recycled.
.
Hospitality industry spends $3.7 billion a year on energy. Electricity use
accounts for 60-70 percent of the utility costs of a typical hotel. Energy efficient
products and practices will reduce energy consumption, therefore lowering
energy costs.
.
2 percent of Californias food waste comes from the hotel and lodging industry
(112,000 tons per year). This food waste can be composted and/or donated
to charities.
.
Typical hotels use 218 gallons of water per day per occupied room. Water-efficient
fixtures can reduce water and sewer bills by 25-30 percent (DGS, 2011).
These aspects of hoteling can be measured locally, as well as with ISO
14001. Additionally, research findings indicate that environmentally conscious hotel
guests have two requirements: an experience with a legitimately nature-aware hotel
and an experience that provides an emotional benefit as a sense of well-being
(i.e. saving the planet and leaving a green environment for their children) (Lee et al.,
2010, p. 910). Finally, in seeking minimal impact so that our environment, all forms
of life and our natural resources are protected and our social needs and values are
honored, the Green Seal Certification and Environmental Standard for US Lodging
Properties is awarded by its nonprofit entity to businesses that attain environmental
leadership qualities in products and services towards a sustainable business practice.
The certification involves ascription to standards adopted from the Environmental
Protection Agency, the Federal Trade Commission, and the following sources:
.
ISO 14020/14024 standards.
.
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Requirements for American
National Standards.
.
Global Ecolabelling Networks Internationally Coordinated Ecolabelling System
(GENICES).
.
Consumers Union What Makes a Good Ecolabel (Green Seal, 2011).
One example can be located in the Press Kit of the large international chain, ibis Hotels:
the focus is on customers taking control of their choice of travel experiences based
the ethics of the brand selected (ibis Hotels, 2011) and the preferences of a majority of
hotel guests for an environmentally friendly hotel (Travel Industry Association, 2007).
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Moreover, ibis acknowledges that subscribing to environmental standards may be

a significant commitment to long-term efforts at improving and measuring their hotel
services impacts on the natural environment. They branded their commitment by
seeking ISO 14001 certification, despite being an economy hotel chain (ibis Hotels,
2011). Boutique hotel guests seek even greater commitments from their regional
(i.e. San Francisco or Istanbul) guest quarters.
A number of international factors have resulted in increasing awareness and
adoption of environmental standards related to various market industries, including
the management of hotel properties. Studies have demonstrated that consumer
stakeholders experience a credibility gap regarding the reliability of environmental
or sustainability reports of entities (Manetti and Becatti, 2009). However, consumer
expectations of environmental practices have exceeded regulatory dictates (Ozen and
Kusku, 2009). The Kyoto Agreement (Kyoto Protocol, 1997) was founded at an
international convention on climate control and is accepted as a seminal impetus for
environmental changes in the way the market functions across nations and their
industries. The signatories to this agreement numbered 183 member countries as of
2009 as an international treaty on global climate change that has thrust international
agreement on environmental safety standards throughout all industries, including
tourism and hospitality. The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO/OMT) (2011)
fosters ethical, socially and environmentally, responsible practices in the tourism
industry as an agency of the United Nations. Environmental standards vary across the
globe, and because environmental values, and resulting standards that measure these
values, change over time, a single, specific measurement tool does not exist (Whitford
and Wong, 2009; Bechtel and Tosun, 2009). We note that ISO 14001 is internationally
recognized, and its use is found in two selected metropolitan locations (San Francisco
and Istanbul) to varying degrees of use as a tool by hoteliers.
Leed
A number of US boutique hotels have sought the international LEED certification
(leadership in energy and environmental design) towards their initial building
construction and/or refurbishment to meet strict energy and water consumption
reductions and environmentally safe building materials. A LEED certification
(leadership in energy and environmental design) is the result of an evaluation
developed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC, 2011) based on the external
building materials and internal fixtures associated with infrastructure (i.e. walls, floors,
ceilings), as well as energy usage and dependence. This standard also applies to new
construction, existing building (EB), and hotel operations and maintenance (O and M).
Other boutique hotels have sought to green, with low to no negative environmental
impacts, through the use of internal operations-oriented methods for facility cleaning
with low-environmental impact products, environmentally sensitive waste disposal,
organic and/or nontoxic furniture materials selection, energy efficient lighting fixtures
and other energy-dependent functions associated with hotel operations.
Regional standards
Bureau Veritas
Many boutique hotels choose an alternative EMS approach for their property based
on a number of factors, including ease of site adoption, initial and ongoing audit costs,
branding recognition and consumer preferences. Some local and national legislative
requirements are applicable to hospitality services and properties. However, many
small, boutique hotels choose to meet national and local regulatory prescripts and their
own voluntary environmental philosophy towards increasing guest needs/wants
through the use of third party consultants and services, such as Bureau Veritas (BV)
because of public calls for environmental accountability (BV, 2011; Yeginsu, 2010).
Collectively, Istanbul boutique hotels have used BV, a third party for-profit company,
tracing its history to 1828, that assists a variety of industries and businesses in
measuring conformity to various standards of practice, including environmental
standards in the hotel industry (BV, 2011). BV has developed more manageable EMS
standards than international standards, such as ISO 14001, according to Levent Erdogan
(2011) of TUROB and Greening Hotels Project.
A number of third-party, fully accredited Eurasian certification organizations assess
and consult with hoteliers for negotiated fees regarding environmental standards
used in European and other global markets, e.g. BV and Total Quality Certification
Services (TQCS) International, to certify chain and boutique hotels using a
standardized quality assessment system. BV has certified 30 hotel properties as
meeting specific environmental practices out of 37 applicants, including
independently-owned chains and boutique hotels (2011). These systems include
on-site audits, standardized testing and inspections, and then surveillance audits
(BV, 2010; TQCS International, 2011). A number of Istanbul hotels have sought the
assistance of BV and TQCS to evaluate and develop the environmental impact aspects
of their properties. Although similar in objectives, BVs and other regional, voluntary
environmental standards are less stringent than those of ISO and thus represent an
opportunity for our analysis of the various EMS systems in use in both Istanbul
and San Francisco. Among the considerations used by hoteliers in selecting a specific
EMS, are:
.
desire to embrace international tourism interests in environmental
responsibilities;
.
energy and operational cost effectiveness;
.
brand recognition and product differentiation for competitive advantage;
.
meeting the environmentally-interested customers needs and wants;
.
educating customers about environmental impacts of energy and materials
usage;
.
public relations and image as environmental leaders in region; and
.
being above regulatory requirements in respective regions.
Local certifications
There are a number of local and state certifications awarded to hotels. One greening
affiliation for US hotels is the Green Lodging Program of the California Department of
General Services (DGS, 2011), which encourages state and local government travelers
to seek out and give preference to certified green hotels. Further, green seal is a
US-based nonprofit organization seeking to mitigate the environmental impacts of
various business enterprises and industries through certification programs, including
the hotel industry (Green Seal, 2011). For example, the choice of bed linens that are
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made from organically-grown cotton by fair trade and living wage farmers who
form the primary point in the linen supply chain leading to purchase by and use in
boutique hotels is often sought by boutique hotels seeking to cater to environmentally
conscious hotel guests. San Francisco boutique hotels have overwhelmingly embraced
local certifications and sought local green awards, rather than purse third party
organization approval or ISO 14001 adoption.
San Francisco Green Business (2011) mission by setting stringent criteria,
providing technical assistance, and publicly recognizing and promoting
environmentally conscious businesses with a seal that enables customers to shop in
keeping with their values, boutique hotels and other businesses undergo assessment
and promotion of environmental practices (2011). This organization is comprised of
three city agencies: SF Environment, San Francisco Department of Public Health, and
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. Further, these agencies are informed by
industry experts, utility companies, and trade associations to develop and apply
stringent standards to the businesses seeking certification specific to San Francisco
(2011). In addition, the Bay Area Green Business Program (2011) certifies regional
hotels ecological impacts by assessing small businesses that protect, preserve and
sustain the environment by working in partnerships with environmental agencies
and utilities, providing hotel incentives, and measuring conservation of hotel energy
and water usage, minimization of waste, prevention of pollution, and hotel carbon
footprints.
Istanbul is home to Touristic Hotels and Investors Association (TUROB),
a voluntary hotel and tourism association, which serves to assist its member hoteliers
in legitimizing specific standards of quality in the industry, including environmental
standards of practice. As city-host to the Fifth World Water Forum, Istanbul has
embraced environmental concerns at the forefront of its agenda. The Turkish
Environmentally Friendly Forum and BV have teamed up with TUROB to encourage
its local hotels to pursue environmental practices. Currently, Greening Hotels Project
(2011), an environmental assessment organization in Europe, has determined which of
these hotels in Turkey were certified green of the applications from individually
owned hotels (non-international chain), which are Green Certified Hotels in Istanbul for
environmental certification (Erdogan, 2011).
Boutique hotel destinations
Studies have shown that the comparison of hospitality management in tourism
destinations may reflect unique methodological processes appealing to consumers. For
example, Okumus et al. (2007) studied two geographic destinations to determine how
destination marketing can be informed by socio-cultural and other factors. Some have
researched the specific criteria used by hoteliers in the selection, implementation and
improvement in order to achieve a companys aim, but also to strengthen the legitimacy
of social and environmental standards (Mueller et al., 2009, p. 509). Cobanoglu (2008)
argued that hoteliers need to inform and their patrons need more knowledge and
education about hotel green practices based on informed communications. There are no
specific studies focused on the legitimacy of the standards in the perceptions
of boutique hotel owners, as well as the hotel owners perceptions of hotel customers
attitudes about environmental standards.
Analysis of hotel properties

We selected two internationally recognized tourism destinations, San Francisco Bay
Area and Istanbul Metropolitan Area, which boast environmental consciousness and
green hospitality. We analyzed the content of the respective web sites of five properties
in each locale. Each geographic destination is renowned as an urban, world-class
tourism brand located in an international gateway destination of historical importance.
Both are bordered by seas, bays and inlets, known for their magnificent bridges and
their central urban districts crisscrossed by narrow, commerce-laden streets of storied
pasts. Each destination is known for its abundance of acclaimed chefs, restaurants
and cafes. These two cities share much in mild, temperate climates with seasonal fog
and nearby snowy mountains (Inman, 1998). Istanbul, located in the Eurasian country
of Turkey, has been named the European Capital of Culture for 2010. San Francisco,
located in the state of California on the West Coast of the USA, is considered the
Best US City in 2010 (for 18 consecutive years, Conde Nast Travelers Magazine, 2010)
and one of ten The worlds happiest cities (Greenburg, 2009).
Although there are some obvious differences between the cities, there are also some
valid similarities. These cities are international ports with major populations
(Istanbul has 12.7 million residents; San Francisco Bay Area has 7.1 million residents).
Further, these cities have each undergone significant restructuration and are the most
popular tourist cities in their respective countries. Istanbuls tourism industry has had
phenomenal growth since the 1980s and is the major tourism location in Turkey
(Dokmeci and Balta, 1999; Inman, 1998). Clearly, however, there are major historical
differences between these cities: Istanbul has a history spanning several hundreds of
years and three ruling empires. San Franciscos history dates back less than 250 years
with a population in 1845 as that of a small village, with just 150 inhabitants. However,
San Francisco experienced tremendous growth such that within 15 years it had grown
to 50,000 residents (OReilly et al., 1996). However, each of these destination cities have
demonstrated an initial affinity for, and continued prominence of small hotels within
the landscape of restoration and revitalization of historical buildings in their respective
central business districts (Dokmeci and Balta, 1999). In fact, each locale makes
extensive use of technology and social media to frame their respective historic and
environmental hospitality consciousness.
We focused on a comparison/contrast of the environmental practices and
corresponding legitimacy measurement tools used in the boutique hotels web sites
and in online travel literature by boutique hotels in each of these two appealing travel
destinations. Our data collection focused on the types of EMS tools used (Tables I and II)
by boutique hotels in each of our selected destinations. This information was derived
solely from the hotel web sites and other online sources related to EMS standards. In
other words, we played tourists on the internet in seeking consumer information to
compare and contrast boutique hotels legitimization of their environmental practices in
each location. San Francisco Bay Area hoteliers, in the majority of instances, focused on
one international standard, LEED certification, for building structure. But, these
hoteliers generally used varying regional standards for legitimizing their green
practices. Istanbul hoteliers focused on maintaining international standards
for legitimizing their green practices, but did not seek specific standards for building
structures.
Boutique hotels
221
JHTT
3,3
Boutique Hotel
Location
EMS standards
Gaia Napa Valley

Orchard Hotel; Orchard
Garden Hotel
Cavallo Point
Napa Valley
San Francisco
Hotel Carlton of Joi de Vivre

Hotelsa
San Francisco
Inn Marin Hotel
Novato
Post Ranch Inn
Big Sur
LEED certified: Gold

LEED certified: Gold; Green Seal Certification: Silver;
SF Green Business
LEED certified: Gold (Working towards: Green Seal
and Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy in
partnership with the national park service)
LEED certified (EB OandM): Gold; SF Green
Business; Bay Area Green Business; Awarded 100
by Energy Star (US EPA and US Department of
Energy)
State of California Green Lodging Certification; Bay
Area Green Business (Marin Co.)
None (Numerous eco/environmental awards from
travel industry and publications)
Sausalito
222
Table I.
San Francisco Bay Area
Notes: aPlus, Galleria Park Hotel, Hotel Adagio, Hotel Del Sol, Hotel Drisco, Hotel Kabuki, Hotel Rex,
Hotel Tomo, Hotel Vitale and Spa Vitale, Laurel Inn, Petite Auberge, Laurel Inn and White Swan Inn
(all SF Bay Area) of Joie de Vivre Hotels (2011) (35 in California) have earned SF Green Business
certification
Boutique Hotel
Location
EMS standards
Hotel My Dora
Istanbul
Greening Hotels (BV) 3R (recycle/reuse/reduce)

CEVKO
Greening Hotels (BV)
ISO 14001 (TQCSI) Greening Hotels (BV)
Greening Hotels (BV) 3R (recycle/reuse/reduce)
CEVKO renewable energy
Greening Hotels (BV)
Romance Hotel; Yasmak Sultan Hotel Istanbul

Byotell
Istanbul
Midtown Hotel
Istanbul
Table II.
Istanbul
Mia Pera Hotel
Istanbul
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Corresponding author
Denise Kleinrichert can be contacted at: dk@sfsu.edu
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