Employee-Centric Approaches to Sustainable Tourism Development, Hospitality, and Tourist Satisfaction

Dear Colleagues,

The development of tourism and hospitality is vital for modern economic growth (Lee and Jan, 2019). Service quality is a critical determinant of tourist satisfaction and destination competitiveness (Wang, 2020). High-performance work systems (HPWSs), characterized by comprehensive HR practices such as training, employee involvement and performance-based incentives, enhance employee motivation, engagement and performance (Jiang et al., 2012). However, the extent to which HPWS influences employee service quality and contributes to sustainable tourism development remains underexplored (Alafeshat and Tanova, 2019; Wang and Tseng, 2019).

We invite submissions to this Special Issue focusing on the intersection of HPWS and sustainable tourism development in the tourism and hospitality industry. This Special Issue aims to explore how HPWS practices impact employee service quality and, in turn, tourist satisfaction and the sustainable growth of tourism destinations. We seek innovative research that examines the connections between HPWSs, employee service quality and the long-term sustainability of tourism destinations.

We welcome both empirical and conceptual papers that advance our understanding of the linkages between HPWS, employee service quality, tourist satisfaction and sustainable tourism development. Manuscripts should be original and not under consideration for publication elsewhere. Submissions can take the form of full-length research articles, case studies, literature reviews or theoretical perspectives.

By investigating the impact of HPWSs on employee service quality within the context of sustainable tourism development, this Special Issue aims to highlight how organizations in the tourism and hospitality sector can adopt HR practices that enhance employee performance while contributing to the environmental, social and economic sustainability of tourism destinations. We encourage researchers to explore the synergies between HPWSs and sustainable tourism practices, and to identify strategies for maximizing positive outcomes while minimizing any negative environmental or social impacts.

Ultimately, this Special Issue seeks to advance knowledge in HR management and tourism studies by providing insights into how HPWS can support the long-term viability and resilience of tourism destinations in an interconnected and environmentally conscious world. We look forward to receiving submissions that address these important research questions and contribute to the ongoing dialogue on sustainable tourism development.

Research themes:

• The impact of HPWSs on employee service quality in the tourism and hospitality industry;
• The role of HPWSs in enhancing employee motivation, satisfaction and engagement;
• The relationship between HPWSs and tourist satisfaction and loyalty;
• HPWS practices and their implications for sustainable tourism development;
• Mediating and moderating factors influencing the relationship between HPWSs and service quality;
• Case studies and best practices of HPWS implementation in tourism destinations;
• Theoretical frameworks and methodological approaches for studying HPWSs in the context of sustainable tourism development.

Prof. Dr. Chung-Jen Wang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• high-performance work systems (HPWS)
• employee service quality
• sustainable tourism development
• tourism and hospitality industry
• human resource management (HRM)
• employee motivation
• destination competitiveness
• sustainable HR practices
• tourism destination sustainability
• employee engagement