Transformational Leadership in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry

Abstract

This study aims to examine the transformational leadership in the context of the hospitality and tourism industry. In the first part of the study, the emergence of transformational leadership, its definition, and the importance of transformational leadership in tourism and hospitality literature is discussed. In the second part, the most commonly used transformational leadership models and the sub-factors and dimensions of these models is analyzed. In the third part of the chapter, the characteristics of managers who adopt the transformational leadership style is examined. Finally, the studies conducted in the field of hospitality and tourism that were published in peer-reviewed journals in the last decade (from 2012-2022) were systematically reviewed. Transformational leadership style is found to be one of the most suitable leadership styles for both the organization, the employees, and the leaders themselves in the hospitality and tourism industry.