Third International Conference on Tourism & Leisure Studies

Abstract

Tourism is a dynamic industry; therefore, organizations become vulnerable and have to respond to changes, whether involving risks or opportunities. This scenario of change requires a new management model that encourages organizational agility. In this context, information technologies (IT) have an important role as providers of agility, meaning that they develop other resources and capabilities that are necessary in adapting to the environment. Furthermore, IT constitute a key element that facilitates innovation in the development of adaptation and flexibility strategies in the tourist context, particularly in the hospitality industry. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore the mediating role of organizational innovation between IT and hotel agility. The model was tested on the general managers of 4- and 5-star and Great Luxury hotels on the Canary Islands using a survey method. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to test the hypotheses. Results show that the uses of IT have a direct positive effect on innovation capability and on hotel agility. Moreover, innovation mediates the relationship between IT and hotel agility. The paper identifies the different uses of IT in hotels, focusing on the relationships with the main internal and external interest groups. The proposed uses of IT make it possible to adapt products, services, and processes to tourists´ changing demands. The findings of this study suggest the main uses of IT that promote innovation initiatives and make hotels agile.