Strategic Management in Tourism Businesses: Pathways for Resilience, ESG Alignment, and Destination Sustainability

Dear Colleagues,

In today’s challenging global environment, strategic management has become essential for the survival, adaptation, and success of tourism businesses. The combined pressures of climate change, geopolitical instability, post-pandemic recovery, and digital disruption have amplified the need for tourism organisations to adopt more agile, resilient, and sustainability-focused strategies (Buhalis, et. al., 2024; Gössling, et. al., 2021; Legrand, et.al. 2022; Mahendru., et. al, 2023). At the same time, stakeholder expectations for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) accountability, community engagement, and ethical leadership are transforming how firms and destinations define long-term value and competitiveness (Farsari, 2021; Hoang, et. al., 2023; Lu, et.al., 2025).

This publication aims to explore how tourism businesses and destination organisations are evolving their strategic thinking to address contemporary challenges while also seizing emerging opportunities. We welcome papers that examine the strategic integration of ESG principles, crisis and risk management frameworks, and the role of innovation and digital transformation (e.g., AI, big data, smart systems) in strategy development. Additionally, we are interested in research that highlights leadership during times of disruption, stakeholder and community-based approaches, and future-oriented planning tools such as scenario analysis. The scope includes small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), destination management organisations (DMOs), multinational corporations, and startups operating in the tourism and hospitality sectors. This Special Issue will publish interdisciplinary, international, and evidence-based contributions that advance both academic theory and industry practice.

Key topics include the following areas:

• Strategic agility and resilience in tourism organisations;
• Crisis management and destination resilience;
• Destination competitiveness strategies;
• Stakeholder engagement and co-creation strategies;
• ESG-oriented strategy and sustainability governance;
• Digital transformation and smart tourism strategy;
• Innovation ecosystems and business model renewal;
• Scenario planning, foresight, and strategic risk management;
• Strategic leadership and human capital in tourism firms.

References:

Buhalis, D., Efthymiou, L., Uzunboylu, N. & Thrassou, A. (2024). Charting the progress of technology adoption in tourism and hospitality in the era of industry 4.0. EuroMed Journal of Business, 19 (1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1108/EMJB-11-2023-0310

Farsari, I. (2021). Exploring the nexus between sustainable tourism governance, resilience and complexity research. Tourism Recreation Research,  48(3), 352–367. https://doi.org/10.1080/02508281.2021.1922828

Gössling, S., Scott, D., & Hall, C. M. (2021). Pandemics, Tourism and Global Change: A Rapid Assessment of COVID-19. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 29, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2020.1758708

Hoang, G., Yang, M., & Luu, T.T. (2023). Ethical leadership in tourism and hospitality management: A systematic literature review and research agenda. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2023.103563

Legrand, W., Chen, S. J., & Laeis, G. C. M. (2022). Sustainability in the hospitality industry: Principles of sustainable operations (4th ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003081128

Lu, M.M., Ting, I. W. K, & Huang, S. H. (2025). Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Initiatives and Firm Efficiency in the Global Tourism and Hospitality Industry: The Role of Business Strategy. Asian Academy of Management Journal of Accounting and Finance, 21(1), 275–312. https://doi.org/10.21315/aamjaf2025.21.1.10

Mahendru, M., Arora, V., Chatterjee, R., Sharma, G. D., & Shahzadi, I. (2023). From Over-Tourism to Under-Tourism via COVID-19: Lessons for Sustainable Tourism Management. Evaluation Review, 48(1), 177–210. https://doi.org/10.1177/0193841X231189805 (Original work published 2024)

Dr. Irini Dimou
Dr. Alexandros Apostolakis
Dr. Ioannis Passas
Guest Editors

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• resilience
• sustainability governance
• smart tourism strategy
• strategic risk management
• strategic leadership