The role of innovation in tourism industry in times of crisis

BUSINESS MODEL INNOVATION

The role of innovation in tourism industry in times of crisis

Valentina Della Corte - Giuliana Nevola∙- Enrico Di Taranto∙

Objectives. Hospitality sector has always been affected by several crises and innovation has always played a pivotal role in these circumstances (Cheah et al., 2018; Clauss et al., 2019). In times of crisis, innovation has exalted the recovery and resilience character of the Hospitality Industry (Luthe and Wyss, 2015; Kawharu, Tapsell and Woods, 2017). Recent literature has put in evidence the role of innovation in times of crisis in the hospitality sector and how innovation, especially digitalization, can even influence sustainability (Presenza, Petruzzeli, Natalicchio, 2019). Expenditures in innovation and in R&D favour profits during an economic crisis (Lilien and Srinivasan, 2010) and innovation improves the enterprise productivity (Barros, Peypoch, Solonandrasana, B. 2009).

The recent crisis (Covid-19) has caused a shift from a tourism vision based on overconsumption to a tourism vision focused on social wellbeing (Everingham and Chassagne, 2020). There are new emerging needs as security and safety (Mansfeld and Pizam, 2006), without precluding the emotional aspects, likewise important. Tourists look for a creative innovation that improves their experience as well as their satisfaction.

Firms are called to rethink and to develop new business models, innovative business models that can affect the value proposition, value creation and value capture (Breier et al., 2021).

This work in progress aims to investigate the pivotal role that innovation has played in times of crisis, focusing the attention on the tourism sector and how it influences the resilient character of the tourism industry. Different theories on the topic will be investigated in order to propose an innovation management model to be tested on hospitality and tourism firms, taking in consideration the actual health crisis that is affecting the tourism sector.

#destination resilience #Resilience #resilience management #travel and tourism resilience