How Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Activities Relate to Hotel Booking Intentions: Evidence from PLS-SEM and fsQCA

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives have gained increasing attention in the hotel industry, yet the consumer-level psychological processes through which such activities relate to booking intentions remain incompletely understood. This study aims to examine how hotel ESG activities are associated with consumers’ booking intentions by focusing on the mediating roles of corporate image and consumer trust, as well as the moderating role of environmental awareness. Survey data were collected from consumers with recent hotel stay experiences in China and analyzed using a dual-method approach, combining partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The results show that social and governance activities are positively associated with corporate image, whereas environmental and social activities are positively associated with consumer trust. Corporate image and consumer trust are, in turn, associated with higher booking intentions, while environmental awareness strengthens only the relationship between environmental activities and corporate image. In addition, the fsQCA results reveal multiple configurational pathways through which different combinations of ESG activities and consumer psychological responses are associated with high booking intention. Overall, the findings suggest that hotel ESG initiatives relate to booking intentions through differentiated psychological mechanisms and multiple pathways.