Sociocultural Hurdles of Sustainable Hospitality Management

Abstract

Abstract Sustainability in the hospitality industry has been an area of growing interest among stakeholders in the last decades. However, sustainable projects that are often proposed by foreign/international stakeholders have met various obstacles during their implementation. Beyond economic and political barriers, this paper focuses on sociocultural specificities that jeopardize sustainable projects in luxury hotel settings in Bali, Indonesia. Through unique organizational and communal values such as bapakism, banjar, kira kira and suka duka, the paper highlights the complexity of the local sociocultural environment that plays a crucial role in managerial decisions at luxury hotels. Understanding these sociocultural specificities of the Balinese society will facilitate the efficient implementation of projects in the field of sustainable development. In a more general context, the research indicates the importance of both creating awareness of local sociocultural dynamics and establishing efficient intercultural communication among stakeholders that influence the future success of development projects in Bali.