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Innovative Approaches to Sustainable Management in Hospitality and Tourism

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 1747

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Faculty of Economics and Business, International University of La Rioja, Logrono, Spain
Interests: sustainable development; business operations; tourism marketing; leadership; employee satisfaction; customer satisfaction

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The hospitality and tourism industry faces increasing pressure to operate sustainably, as it significantly impacts environmental resources, local communities, and global economies. While the existing literature has examined areas such as eco-certifications, green operations, and responsible tourism models, much of this research remains fragmented or focused on isolated case studies. There is a growing need for integrated, interdisciplinary research that not only documents sustainable practices but also evaluates their effectiveness, scalability, and contribution to broader sustainability goals.

This Special Issue aims to explore innovative approaches to sustainable management in the hospitality and tourism sectors. We invite empirical studies, theoretical contributions, and case analyses that examine topics such as eco-innovation in hotel operations, circular economy strategies, sustainable tourism planning, stakeholder engagement, and digital tools that enhance sustainability performance. By addressing the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability through a management lens, this Special Issue will advance academic discourse and provide practical insights for industry and policy. It seeks to complement the existing literature by offering new frameworks and tools to define, measure, and implement sustainability in one of the world’s most dynamic industries.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Asier Baquero
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainable tourism and hospitality development
  • environmental, social, and economic sustainability
  • sustainable business practices
  • eco-innovation in tourism and hospitality
  • sustainability performance measurement
  • corporate social responsibility (CSR)
  • green hotel operations
  • stakeholder engagement in sustainability
  • sustainable value chain management

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

26 pages, 778 KB  
Article
Innovative Pathways to Sustainable Management in Hotels: How Sustainable Leadership Drives Green Innovative Work Behavior Through Psychological Empowerment and Self-Efficacy
by Hazem Ahmed Khairy, Wagih M. E. Salama, Asier Baquero and Mohamed Ahmed Suliman
Sustainability 2026, 18(3), 1291; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18031291 - 27 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1061
Abstract
This study investigates how sustainable leadership fosters innovative approaches to environmental management by promoting green innovative work behavior (GIWB) among employees in five-star hotels, with a focus on the mediating roles of green psychological empowerment (GPE) and green self-efficacy (GSE). Grounded in Ability–Motivation–Opportunity [...] Read more.
This study investigates how sustainable leadership fosters innovative approaches to environmental management by promoting green innovative work behavior (GIWB) among employees in five-star hotels, with a focus on the mediating roles of green psychological empowerment (GPE) and green self-efficacy (GSE). Grounded in Ability–Motivation–Opportunity (AMO) theory, the research examines how sustainability-oriented leadership practices enhance employees’ motivation, confidence, and sense of impact, enabling them to generate, promote, and implement novel environmentally friendly solutions in hotel operations. Data were collected from 396 full-time hotel employees using a structured questionnaire and analyzed through PLS-SEM with WarpPLS software. The results indicate that sustainable leadership positively influences GPE, GSE, and GIWB. Furthermore, both GPE and GSE partially mediate the effect of sustainable leadership on GIWB, demonstrating the psychological pathways through which leadership translates sustainability values into innovative employee-driven practices. These findings advance theoretical understanding of how leadership can drive innovation in sustainability management within the hospitality sector and offer practical, context-specific guidance for hotel managers aiming to foster creative, environmentally responsible solutions. Full article
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