An inquiry into achieving social sustainability from boutique hotels in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Achieving social sustainability is a challenge while managing the internal and external pressure in a hotel. In Sri Lanka majority of the boutique hotels has not paid attention to the importance of social sustainability and to its impact of economic sustainability. There is no a proper guiding mechanism to link the society toward the boutique hotels to drive to social sustainability in Sri Lanka as a win-win situation. This paper aims to develop a good practice framework for the boutique hotels in Sri Lanka to drive them toward achieving social sustainability and to explore the internal and external factors that should consider to implement the initiatives to achieve social sustainability. This paper used case study methodology to implement the deductive approach. The author used qualitative data that collected from the interviews from the senior management, employees, guests and community leaders. Data contributed to develop the good guidance frame work. The selected case is an award winning group owned only registered boutique hotel. Research carried over a period of one month and analysed using within data through coding.

The findings revealed the internal and external elements that should be considered when it comes to successful implementation to achieve social sustainability. In addition, most applicable key elements to drive toward social sustainability were identified. All these identified elements were integrated to the proposed good practice framework. The paper suggests although boutique hotels implement activities to achieve social sustainability a well-placed framework should place a leading role in achieving social sustainability successfully while extending the benefits to the society.