How to Develop Successful Hospitality Innovation

Abstract

A survey of 184 German hoteliers identified nine factors that promote successful service innovations. The study found that the nature of the innovation is far less important than the effectiveness of a hotel’s human resources management and employee training, empowerment, and commitment to the service. Ensuring that the innovation is matched to the targeted market is important, of course, but such factors as effective marketing communication and public relations do not seem to support innovations’ success. Also important is the tangible nature of the service, but having innovative technology was not a significant factor in new-service development for these hoteliers.