Nurturing a Sustainable Hospitality Industry: Insights into Service Innovation and Organizational Behavior

Dear Colleagues,

The number of international tourists has increased from 25 million in 1950 to 278 million in 1980, 527 million in 1995, 1.32 billion in 2017, and it is expected to reach 1.8 billion by 2030. Despite the industry’s positive impacts, there are still concerns about its potential harm to both local residents and the environment. The literature has previously highlighted the importance of service innovation as a driver of sustainability (Mahavarpour et al., 2023). Calabrese et al. (2018) suggested that by focusing on the growing area of sustainability-centered service innovation and understanding how service innovation can support sustainability objectives, there is reason for optimism regarding the future of sustainability.

Therefore, innovation has the potential to enable the hospitality industry to raise awareness among the general public and shift individual perspectives toward climate change, hospitality-related pollution, the atmosphere, water, wildlife, habitats, and human impact. With the growing concern among different consumer generations, particularly Millennials and Generation Z, regarding sustainability and creating a sustainable society, their consumption habits and behaviors have increasingly focused on sustainability. They prioritize environmental care, pollution reduction, and access to healthy food, aiming to ensure that future generations have the same access to resources as the present (Dabija et al., 2019). Young consumers are actively engaged in sustainable development goals, and willing not only to allocate their time and money for the betterment of the planet but also to contribute personally to the well-being of society and the environment. However, the present challenge lies in thinking beyond the current limitations and exploring innovative approaches to utilize and manage global resources, not just in the short term but with a long-term perspective (sustainable development goals, 2018). Additionally, the hospitality sector faces the task of recovering from the global pandemic crisis and reinventing itself while considering global sustainable development goals.

We are seeking papers that explore the economic, environmental, and social aspects of sustainable development in hospitality on a global scale. This Special Issue aims to examine the policies, best practices, strategies, and initiatives involving all stakeholders, including indigenous communities, local residents, visitors, industry players, and government bodies. The primary objectives are (i) to understand the most significant elements of service innovation and sustainability in hospitality sectors along with human development, (ii) To understand the significance of protecting the environment and preserving resources when supporting both the environment and achieving inclusive and sustainable economic growth at local destinations through innovative activities (iii) Exploring how innovative business activities and the innovative sustainable management of resources can contribute to environmental preservation and facilitate inclusive economic growth at local destinations. Additionally, this approach promotes social inclusiveness by generating employment opportunities and striving to reduce poverty within the hospitality sector. If all these objectives are achieved, it could reduce the hospitality industry’s impact on climate change and a significant decrease in our dependency on non-renewable energy sources. This is important because the consumption of these resources in hospitality has undesirable ecological effects (UN, 2017; 2018; 2019, 2023). Moreover, these efforts not only contribute to environmental sustainability and help overcome cultural barriers and foster connections between tourists and hosts, as supported by the Sustainable Development Goals.

This call for papers addresses the intricate and diverse nature of service innovation and global sustainable hospitality. It recognizes the need to fill a void in the field by posing unique research questions that delve into the intrinsic relationship between innovation and sustainable hospitality. The objective is to tackle the gaps in our knowledge in innovative ways that can lead to transformative change in a hospitality context. Moreover, it aims to provide diverse viewpoints and potentially conflicting responses to these inquiries. This can be achieved by examining prevailing themes in the current body of the literature from a new and comprehensive standpoint and subjecting them to rigorous critical scrutiny through a multifaceted approach.

Considering the information provided, this intended Special Issue seeks to encompass various topics and questions of significance in a cross-cultural investigation into the effects of sustainable hospitality. The specific areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Innovative approaches to sustainable hospitality strategies;
• The role of innovation in shaping human interactions with the environment;
• Service innovation and its impact on sustainable hospitality development;
• Service innovation and its implications for people, the planet, and society;
• Exploring the 6Ps (product, price, place, promotion, people, and process) in the context of hospitality innovation;
• Service innovation and its relationship with smart growth principles;
• Preserving place heritage through service innovation;
• Utilizing service innovation for effective place branding;
• Public and brand engagement in promoting innovative sustainable hospitality practices;
• Applying innovative life cycle thinking and circular economy principles in the hospitality sector;
• Innovative approaches to waste management in hospitality;
• Exploring the connection between innovation and well-being in the hospitality industry;
• The impact of metaverse and digital hospitality on the sector;
• The role of environmental law in promoting sustainability in hospitality;
• Service innovation and its implications in the face of global change;
• Transitioning toward a low carbon economy through innovative practices;
• Understanding the dynamics of global political ecology in relation to hospitality.

We require scholarly articles that offer substantial contributions, both in theoretical and managerial aspects, to advance and challenge existing theories in the fields of global hospitality and business research, service innovation, and competitive advantage. These articles should demonstrate a clear and significant contribution to the scholarship of service innovation in a hospitality context.

We have no specific preferences in terms of theoretical perspectives or methodological approaches. We encourage submissions that employ traditional methodologies, surveys, qualitative research and innovative approaches such as algorithm-based analysis, meta-analysis, co-citation, contrarian case studies, and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA).

All manuscripts should adhere to the general author guidelines of the Journal of Sustainability (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability). It is crucial that manuscripts have not been previously published and are not currently under consideration by other journals.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Pantea Foroudi
Dr. Reza Marvi
Dr. Dongmei Zha
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• service innovation
• sustainability
• hospitality
• sustainable practices
• new technologies metaverse