Proactive Environmental Strategies in Hotel Firms of Oaxaca, Mexico

Sustainable tourism monitors environmental damage to manage preventive measures that mitigate negative effects on the environment. Therefore, a positive relationship is assumed between business actions and environmental care as a source of value creation. The management of environmental strategies anticipates changes in government regulation, reduces negative environmental impacts and generates competitive advantage. The objective is to analyze the influence of proactive environmental strategies (PES) on the hotel sector competitive advantage (CA) in three tourist destinations in Oaxaca, Mexico: Oaxaca city, Puerto Escondido, and Huatulco. Surveys were applied with a self-directed questionnaire through face-to-face interviews, a response was obtained from 55 owners or managers. The PES implemented by hotels as a pollution prevention strategy significantly influence CA through cost leadership and differentiation. The environmental development PES largely determine the differentiation strategies adopted by hotels to achieve competitive advantage. According to the owners and managers perception, The PES adoption generates benefits for hotels, especially due to their positioning in the accommodation and lodging sector as environmentally responsible companies, which differentiates them from their competitors to gain competitive advantage. The PES implementation reduces operating costs, while contributing to the environment and generating benefits for society through the co-creation of value.