Issue: № 5/2, 2020
Doi: https://doi.org/10.37634/efp.2020.5(2).4
Organizational innovations of the integrated management system for hospitality and tourism companies is now an essential factor in the economic competitiveness of firms. The study of innovations in the service sector is still in its infancy, as the first studies did not appear until the late 1990s, and it is difficult to find a reliable theoretical basis for studying innovations in this sector. It becomes even harder to find when applied to firms working in the hospitality and tourism sectors. Tourism is currently one of the most promising industries in the world, and there is an urgent need for a better understanding of innovation in this sector. This study addresses a common question: how to explain innovations in the tourism sector. In seeking an answer to this question, the work has two objectives: 1) to discuss what innovation in services is, taking into account a study of innovation in hospitality and travel firms, along with a literature review; 2) to develop a case study for an international group on hospitality. The results support the hypotheses that the implementation of an Integrated Hotel Management System is an important innovation in the sense that it mainly promotes organizational innovation, while firms use sustainable development policies as strategies of innovation and differentiation from competition. At this time, tourism firms are to be managed in three ways: economic, social and environmental. The advantages defined by the hotel are: optimization of work processes, with an impact on productivity, sustainable development of the company, strengthening of its corporate image, creation of an organized structure, reduction of environmental impact and risks inherent in the activity, and increase in customer satisfaction. Finally, we present a number of conclusions that allow a better understanding of innovation in tourism and are aimed at expanding the theoretical debate as well as knowledge on this topic.
Keywords : Innovation, services, tourism, thematic analysis
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