Abstract
Water use in hospitality impacts both operating costs and destination sustainability, especially in water-scarce regions. This mixed-methods study offers a novel comparison of soft visitor management strategies to reduce guestroom water use in short-stay motels. Using a quasi-experimental design, sub-metered tracking, and 22 guest interviews, it tested emotional, environmental, and factual message appeals combined with a sand timer. Factual messaging with researcher interaction reduced water use by 41%. Findings suggest that habits, emotional cues, and personalized communication influence behavior. It extends knowledge on Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to short-stay accommodation contexts and offers practical, scalable strategies for encouraging sustainable practices in short-term accommodation settings.