Innovation management in the hospitality industry

Abstract

The article examines the state of development, problems, and needs of innovative management in the hospitality industry. Based on research results using the example of EU countries, the dominance of a group of countries with the lowest indicators of workforce employment in the hospitality industry across all types of activities (59.3%) has been identified. The presence of highly developed countries in this group indicates the activation of innovative management activities in the hospitality industry. Accordingly, the directions of modern digital trends in the hospitality industry have been studied and schematically presented. Analyzing consumer behavior in the hospitality industry, changes have been observed due to tourists’ insufficient financial support: an increase in the number of trips during off-peak periods (especially in Slovakia (186.79%), Ireland (102.51%), Austria (79.58%)); a preference for budget-friendly travel destinations (for example, Serbia, Turkey, Bulgaria). The study justifies the need for the development of innovative management in the hospitality industry and schematically presents a possible option for its provision, highlighting the need for ongoing research to identify user needs in hospitality services and explore alternative ideas to meet those needs.