Nature based solutions and customer retention strategy: Eliciting customer well-being experiences and self-rated mental health

Abstract

This research attempted to explore the specific role of a hotel's green physical environment as nature-based solution (NBS) in the customer retention process. Our results showed that the green spaces within a hotel and existing outdoor natural environment as NBS significantly increase guests' perceptions of well-being and self-rated mental health. In addition, our very significant discovery is that among the examined variables, environmental values have a regulatory role. Well-being perception, self-rated mental health, satisfaction, and affective commitment were important mediators. The proposed theoretical framework encompassing NBS factors and these mediators included a strong prediction power for retention. Keeping in line with emerging NBS in environmental behavior and public health, the present study provides a critical guiding framework helping hotel researchers and operators maximize NBS in guest retention process. We discussed the theoretical/practical implications based on the results in detail in the discussion section.