Transformational Leadership in the Alpine Tourism Industry

Abstract

This chapter aims to explore the topic of leadership in touristic SMEs. Effective forms of leadership, like transformational leadership, can create a high level of work engagement through setting values and direction for all involved stakeholders and pave the way for a competitive advantage for the business as well as for the destination. Building on current research on leadership and following a qualitative research approach, the authors investigate how far entrepreneurs of touristic SMEs apply notions of transformational leadership and how their leadership skills can further be characterized. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen entrepreneurs of SMEs from five different tourism subsectors in Tyrol (Austria). The objective of this chapter is to conceptualize the leadership qualities of tourism entrepreneurs and derive implications for enhancing transformational leadership abilities. This chapter adds new insights into the status-quo of leadership in tourism research and gives valuable insights for leading SMEs in the tourism sector.