Digitalizing hotel industry: Inhibitors and implications for sustainability.

This article investigates the strategic integration of digitalization and sustainability in hotel operations in North India, employing the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) technique to analyze thirteen critical factors influencing sustainable practices. Key causal factors identified include green purchase intention (GPI), niche market (NM), digitalization (DI), government regulation (GR), and fear of environmental consequences (FEC), which drive sustainability initiatives, while factors such as design for sustainability (DFS), green branding (GB), and environmental management systems (EMS) are more reactive outcomes. The study highlights how digital technologies like IoT and AI can enhance operational efficiency and environmental performance, offering practical insights for hotel management to prioritize interventions that foster sustainable development. Limitations include the regional focus on North India and a small expert sample, suggesting future research should expand geographically and methodologically to deepen understanding of digitalization's role in global sustainable hotel management.