Environment and Ecology Research Vol. 14(2), pp. 210 - 225
DOI: 10.13189/eer.2026.140211
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Environmental Sustainability in Albanian Hotels: Drivers and Barriers of Green Innovations

Etis Jorgji ¹, Aseda Banushaj ¹, Doriana Matraku ^1,*, Gentian Picari ^2
1 Department of Economics, Faculty of Economy, University of Tirana, Albania
² Albanian Development Fund, Tirana, Albania

ABSTRACT

The hotel industry is recognized for its high resource consumption, particularly in terms of energy, water, and waste generation, which in turn leads to severe environmental impacts. This study analyzes green innovations in the hotel industry in the Albanian context and collects qualitative data from 50 semi-structured interviews with hotel owners and managers from different regions. The study detects the most dominant and widely applied sustainability practices through thematic analysis and examines the various drivers and barriers to the application of green innovations. The results show that Albanian hotels have been adopting, to a significant extent, energy conservation practices, water conservation, and waste minimization, mostly owing to economic and, to some extent, environmental issues. Conversely, some of the most important barriers to hotels moving towards greater or deeper innovation include high investment requirements, a lack of technical expertise, and poor institutional support structures. This paper has established that while Albanian hotels have raised awareness of their sustainability barriers, their responses tend to be unsystematic or reactive. In the context of hospitality research, the study offers an innovative perspective on environmental protection issues in a transition economy. The limitations consist of the self-reported nature of the data and the lack of appropriate quantification of performance. Qualitative nature allows the researcher to gather rich contextual insight. It provides implications for policymakers and hotel managers trying to advance environmentally sustainable practices in the hotel industry. In practical terms, the study reveals the role of subsidies in accelerating the adoption of green innovations, while on the social side, it highlights how sustainability in the hospitality sector can strengthen Albania's reputation and boost its international image.

KEYWORDS
Green Innovations, Environmental Sustainability, Hospitality Sector, Qualitative Research, Albania, Environmental Management

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Etis Jorgji , Aseda Banushaj , Doriana Matraku , Gentian Picari , "Environmental Sustainability in Albanian Hotels: Drivers and Barriers of Green Innovations," Environment and Ecology Research, Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 210 - 225, 2026. DOI: 10.13189/eer.2026.140211.

(b). APA Format:
Etis Jorgji , Aseda Banushaj , Doriana Matraku , Gentian Picari (2026). Environmental Sustainability in Albanian Hotels: Drivers and Barriers of Green Innovations. Environment and Ecology Research, 14(2), 210 - 225. DOI: 10.13189/eer.2026.140211.