Business Model Innovation (BMI) involves reconfiguring the value proposition, value creation, and value capture elements to address the evolving demands of travellers and the challenges posed by a rapidly changing environment. This topic explores how hospitality and tourism firms can leverage BMI to achieve sustainable competitive advantage, adapt to external drivers such as globalisation and technological advancements, and innovate in response to the dynamic interplay between sustainability, digitalization, and authentic customer experiences.

Market and Concept Innovations in Hospitality and Tourism focus on developing new offerings and business concepts that cater to the changing preferences and behaviours of modern travellers. This topic explores how industry professionals can create unique and compelling value propositions, such as tailored experiences for digital nomads and leisure travellers, while addressing ethical considerations, regulatory requirements, and sustainability challenges. By innovating in market approaches and service concepts, hospitality and tourism businesses can stay competitive and meet the diverse needs of their customers in a dynamic environment.

This track is concerned with how industry professionals can develop and implement strategies that address environmental concerns, social responsibility, and regulatory requirements. By prioritising ethical values and sustainable practices, hospitality and tourism businesses can not only contribute to the long-term well-being of the communities and environments they operate in but also enhance their reputation and customer trust.

Technological Innovations in Hospitality and Tourism focus on leveraging cutting-edge technologies to transform the industry and enhance the guest experience. This topic explores how advancements such as robotics, artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), virtual and augmented reality, and blockchain can be seamlessly integrated into hospitality and tourism operations to enhance authentic human interactions. By fostering deeper connections and prioritizing empathy and personalization, such innovations can elevate guest satisfaction and the human experience in the industry. Ultimately, the balance between cutting-edge technological advancements and the high-touch service excellence that remains fundamental to exceptional hospitality.

In this track, we welcome contributions on improving operational efficiencies and enhancing service delivery through innovative methods and technologies. This topic explores how industry professionals can streamline processes, reduce costs, and improve the overall guest experience by adopting new technologies, rethinking workflows, and implementing best practices. By innovating in their processes, hospitality and tourism businesses can increase productivity, respond more effectively to market demands, and maintain a competitive edge in a fast-paced industry.

Educational Innovations in Hospitality and Tourism focus on aligning academic curricula with the rapidly evolving demands of the industry, ensuring that graduates are well-prepared for future challenges. This topic explores how educational institutions can incorporate a range of innovative approaches to develop interdisciplinary programmes that safeguard both academic rigour and practical applicability.

This Special Track focuses on addressing the evolving challenges and opportunities in managing human resources within the industry. This topic explores innovative strategies for attracting, developing, and retaining talent in a sector characterised by rapid technological advancements, shifting consumer expectations, and increasing demands for sustainability. Key areas of focus include addressing labour shortages, strengthening connections between education and the labour market, and promoting decent work conditions. Additionally, this track examines how to motivate hospitality and tourism students by looking at aspects such as adjustments needed in educational programmes, graduate labour market entry, and career perspectives.

In the Special Track on Innovative Research Methods in Hospitality and Tourism, we envision discussing new and creative approaches to research that go beyond traditional methodologies, which may favour studies of the impact of existing business practices but perhaps neglect innovations and their potential impact. This track aims to address these limitations by encouraging the use of innovative research paradigms that can better support the dynamic and evolving nature of the industry.