Relational antecedents of sustainability orientation in hospitality and tourism firms: the mediating role of absorptive capacity

Interest in the literature on tourism destination sustainability has grown notably in recent years, underlining the need for a greater strategic commitment by hospitality and tourism firms (HTFs). However, it is necessary to understand why certain firms develop a greater sustainability orientation (SO), delving into how the relational factors determine the SO of HTFs, which has been demanded, but not addressed. The aim of this paper is to analyze the mediating role of absorptive capacity in explaining the influence of bonding capital and bridging capital on the SO of HTFs in destinations. The empirical study was developed in a sample of 238 HTFs in Peru. Specifically, we focused on the UNESCO-recognized World Heritage Cities, which include the historic centers of Lima, Cusco and Arequipa. Using Partial Least Squares (PLS) to analyze the results, we found that bonding capital has a direct effect on SO and a mediating effect through absorptive capacity. Bridging capital has no direct effect, influencing SO only through absorptive capacity. Thus, we highlight the importance of absorptive capacity as a key element that drives social capital, especially the bridging dimension, towards a higher SO. Managers of HTFs should combine relationships with agents inside and outside the destination to reinforce their strategic commitment to sustainable development.