Innovation in the hotel industry Essay Example

their valuable and potential clients, even if some prioritize luxury over being environmentally friendly (Wood and Brotherton, 2008). Hotelkeepers' primary focus is meeting guest's demands while also striving to recycle waste and be eco-friendly.

The hotelier is advocating for the adoption of advanced and extreme measures to promote environmentally-friendly practices while maintaining high-quality service and luxurious amenities.

Definition and Innovation in the Hotel Industry

Innovation entails introducing novel concepts or ideas globally. It is a process that aims to provide enhanced products and services to customers, while also benefiting the organization. According to Jones (2008), innovation involves discovering new approaches to regular tasks or creating distinctive and improved combinations of production elements. Hotelkeepers engage in research and development activities to create innovative products and services with the goal of attracting customers and expanding their business. The preference for herbal and eco-friendly products is apparent in both the body care industry as well as the food and beverage industry, where many individuals opt for such materials.

In recent years, there has been a push from social activists, environmental agencies, and groups advocating for a greener Earth. They are pressuring industries, including the hotel industry, to reduce their environmentally harmful processes. In the hotel industry, innovation occurs in five main areas: product and service, process, logistics, market, and institutional.

1. Product and service innovations: To ensure sustainable growth and achieve a remarkable bottom line, strategic development is crucial in this area.

2. Process Innovations: Hoteliers are creating new ways of providing services to customers. These unique service delivery processes take into consideration the customers' role. Hotels are upgrading their workflow processes with advanced technology, such as automated services for front and back offices.

This process innovation enhances service efficiency for customers.

3. Process Innovations in Information Handling (Logistics Innovation): Information flows within organizations are now becoming faster. To accommodate guests' busy schedules, hoteliers provide comprehensive information online, making it easier for them to book a room from a single window.Hotelkeepers are now managing their relationships with travel agents, courier services, and tour agencies in order to make it more convenient for guests. These partnerships help with the promotion of the hotel and its brand. Additionally, innovative ways of providing financial support are emerging to help with investments in new products, marketing campaigns, and collaborations with potential partners. In order to support these innovations, careful strategic planning is necessary, along with sufficient budgets and capital. Furthermore, a well-developed employee evaluation and compensation plan is crucial for motivating the staff.

Knowledge direction and Training and development are also necessary to encourage every person in the house to contribute towards business strategy.

Firm ( Hotel ) Size

The size of the houses also matters a lot for innovation process. If a house is large in size and run globally then its approach will be different.

Supplier Driven

Hotels are supplier driven business and to achieve maximum profit it strives for standardized goods. Value to the hotel is produce by its reliable suppliers.

Market Factor and Competition

In the fierce competition, firms need to adopt well developed marketing strategy. Building guest loyalty, providing greater customer satisfaction, connecting with customer emotions, gaining high value of guest experience, following latest trends in the hotel, are the major elements that a hotelkeeper should focus on for strategically development of market initiatives.

The treatment of a guest by a hotelkeeper is crucial. The personal attention

provided by the hotel staff greatly satisfies the guest. However, preferences vary from person to person, especially across different age groups. For instance, children may prioritize electronics over personal attention and may even urge their parents to visit such places.

Trueness plans offer a chance to personalize and connect with important clients, increasing the number of customers. These plans aim to not only treat guests as individuals, but also establish a connection with them. Guests always expect to have an experience when staying at a hotel. When traveling to a new place, guests look for additional activities and unexpected experiences that go beyond their expectations and engage their senses. In a customer trueness plan, the focus should be on emotional connections rather than rational, incentive-based offers. Most of the time, customers choose tourism and prefer hotel services. Activity-based travel provides rich emotional experiences that hoteliers can promote to attract customers.

Currently, there are several activity-based travel trends in the market. Cultural tourism has gained popularity as more individuals choose to explore theaters, historic sites, or partake in educational activities during their vacations. With the growing economy, customers now have a higher purchasing power and are willing to invest more money for superior products. Adventure tourism is another prevalent activity-based trend where travelers prioritize staying physically active and environmentally conscious by visiting renowned parks, engaging in hiking trips, and participating in other thrilling activities.

With this in mind, hotelkeepers are now providing affordable or even free vehicles to guests to explore nearby places. In addition to visiting famous areas, communities, or historical sites, people also engage in heritage tourism. Perceptions about prices have changed, and as economic conditions fluctuate,

individuals are more concerned about the products and quality they are paying for. Therefore, people are comparing what they receive in value to what they pay.

Beverage: The quality and variety of food and beverage options provided by the hotel is another factor that adds value to the customer experience.

Overall, increasing value for hotel guests requires innovation in various aspects such as guest room design, physical properties, interpersonal service, functional services, and food and beverage offerings.This is the most important factor that guests often remember when evaluating their hotel experience. Food and drink are the enjoyable and social aspects of their stay, so it is necessary for hotels to focus on the quality and excitement of their offerings in order to create value for guests. It is essential to serve high-quality food in a pleasant environment.

The role of employees in fostering innovation is crucial for organizations. They need to encourage creativity and innovation in order to improve efficiency, enhance quality, and increase productivity. This creative process is complex and chaotic, involving employees generating new ideas and concepts or making connections between existing ones.

According to Teresa Amabile (1998), "Creativity that exists within every person is a function of three components: expertise, creative thinking, and motivation." Expertise comes from experience.

Over the years, employees have gained expertise in a specific field through both formal education and practical experience. They have also benefited from interactions with other professionals. Currently, organizations are promoting knowledge sharing programs (KSP) to facilitate the dissemination of employees' experiences and knowledge to others. By engaging in such activities, they create opportunities for examining and solving problems in an intellectual environment. Consequently, employees become

more proactive and capable of finding solutions to any challenges they encounter.

Creative thought stems from patterns and involves a skilled and determined idea process that recognizes the flexibility and creative aptitude of an individual to tackle a task. It allows ample space for thinking outside the traditional framework. Nowadays, companies encourage their employees to bring forth innovative perspectives, meld existing ideas in different ways, and challenge the norm by exploring unconventional solutions. This fosters unexpected approaches and ideas from diverse fields. An individual's personality and their unique approach to thinking and working greatly influence their capacity for creative thought.

After considering input from the aforementioned factors, individuals are prompted to take action and create things. If there is a lack of motivation, expertise and creative thinking become useless. Motivated individuals are able to perform their job in a creative and efficient manner. Consequently, the hotel industry is now stimulating creativity and generating ideas. Companies are regularly conducting training programs for employees focused on brainstorming, problem-solving, and lateral thinking skills. These programs aim to enhance employee abilities and contribute to overall productivity.

• Brainstorming
• Problem Solving
• Lateral Thinking

The house's commitment to learning is crucial for fostering invention and creativity. If employees gain advanced knowledge in their respective fields, it will undoubtedly benefit business opportunities. Employers will become more alert and responsible, ensuring the avoidance of unexpected situations. Training programs assist employees in refreshing and renewing their skills and provide access to the external world.

A house can enhance its learning capabilities by providing learning opportunities to each individual

and leveraging the skills and knowledge of its employees. This collective sharing of knowledge within a group contributes to the overall growth of the organization. Additionally, a house can benefit from its employees by adopting superior methods, processes, advanced technology, talented staff, and the expertise obtained from other companies. It is crucial for employees to possess a learning attitude that positively influences the business environment. Simply offering financial compensation is not sufficient to motivate employees. Instead, a rewards system should incorporate both extrinsic and intrinsic incentives.

In addition to using monetary rewards as incentives, there are several other methods to motivate employees. Nowadays, human resource management plays a significant role in business development. They are introducing new strategies to inspire employees. The concept of achievement is one of the reward schemes that encourages employees to contribute their ideas, creative thoughts, and unique solutions to daily work tasks. Promoting a culture of recognizing and respecting the talents of peers and superiors, along with holding regular meetings between leaders and employees, is seen as a positive work environment in a company.

Those who are creative individuals are generally motivated to bring something new to the workplace, as they respond to the intrinsic rewards. The hotel industry globally is facing challenges with low occupancy rates. Just like any other industry, hotelkeepers are also emphasizing creativity and innovation to attract customers and build loyalty. In the hospital sector, luxury facilities are prioritized and offered at a reasonable price. Hotelkeepers have to work around the clock to provide these luxury amenities and differentiate themselves in terms of uniqueness and customer satisfaction, even though it entails higher expenses.

The hotel industry is divided into

different segments based on the services they provide. One such segment is boutique hotels. Boutique hotels have been a part of the traditional hospitality sector. Currently, the hospitality industry is focused on changing and evolving. Boutique hotels primarily offer late-night disco clubs and techno music channels as an alternative to boring concerts.

Another segment in the industry is the energy spa. The energy medicine industry is experiencing rapid growth.

This text describes the hospitality industry, where people strive to stay competitive in the corporate world. Unfortunately, this busy lifestyle is taking a toll on their health. To restore balance to their body, mind, and spirit, many people choose to visit hotels for energizing spa treatments. These stress-reducing treatments, such as five-minute massages, are in high demand.

Hoteliers are offering spa facilities to guests during their stay at hotels to rejuvenate their tired energy. This is not only popular among working individuals but also among elderly people who prefer these types of treatments.

No Pet Friendly Initiatives:

Many hotels do not allow dogs due to some clients finding it unacceptable. Pets are now prohibited from the red carpet laid out for guests. Pets typically sleep on guest beds and wander into other guests' areas, causing inconvenience. The presence of pets requires hotel staff to make extra efforts to change all bed sheets, pillow covers, and wash them carefully.

Revival of Traditional Wines

Some of the guests who appreciate the quality and taste of wines choose to stay in hotels. They visit hotels to enjoy their drink, so hoteliers take extra care of these guests.

Eco-Friendly Hospitality Enterprises

As mentioned earlier, every industry is now taking

initiatives to be environmentally friendly. In the hotel industry, there is a growing trend to go green for good reasons, and this initiative also helps in marketing. The hotel's operational procedures, such as cooking and the use of power and water, have a regular impact on the environment.

The hotel industry has also begun to advocate for ecological sustainability and the conservation of energy. Initially, eco-friendly hotels were seen as being primarily located in nature-focused areas, such as the jungle. However, eco hotels in urban settings have also shown that it is possible to travel green and embrace environmentally friendly practices. The industry is now encouraging hotels to reduce their carbon footprints and obtain green certifications. Environmental training programs are being offered to hotel employees to promote conservation efforts.

Hotels choose to use sustainable materials when constructing their properties, specifically those that are made from green resources. However, it can be challenging for them to find suppliers for these natural materials, such as local stone and tropical hardwood. Despite this challenge, eco-conscious hotels are making every effort to embrace a concrete green philosophy. This commitment extends not only from the hotel owners, but also from governments that actively support the transition to green practices. The government has implemented specific accreditation and regulations for green practices, and there are agencies in place to certify green hotels. The most notable aspect of eco hotels is their active promotion of natural resource conservation and pollution reduction, which undoubtedly has a positive impact on both physical and mental health.

Both the hotelkeeper and the guest benefit from these patterns. Guests are educated about recycling, eco-friendly transportation, and energy conservation. Hoteliers

also strive to educate guests about these positive practices. Some key features of green best patterns in hotels include their harmonization with nature, offering a serene environment in well-managed eco-friendly locations that embrace rainwater recycling.

The hotels show their commitment to being environmentally friendly and their respect for nature through every little initiative. Truly 'green' hotels support the environment by offering the best characteristics that back up the environment. Guests are encouraged to appreciate the natural beauty of the surroundings, which helps them connect with nature and truly appreciate the experience. Understanding and appreciating the environment also helps guests contribute to the conservation of natural resources.

Green hotels create an atmosphere that provides not only a comfortable sleep, but also promotes environmental consciousness among guests. This encourages them to take necessary actions to contribute towards the preservation of the environment. (Article Source: hypertext transfer protocol://EzineArticles.com)

Eco accommodation reduces material consumption. It is indeed true that eco-friendly accommodation plays a significant role in minimizing material consumption. This is considered one of the most favorable aspects of a genuine green approach and perhaps one of the simplest methods to implement.

Green hotels have a genuine commitment to being environmentally friendly and make serious efforts to reduce consumption within the hotel. The hotel's use of rainwater harvesting to recycle water, recycling waste, and the use of sustainable products demonstrates their caring attitude towards nature. An eco hotel should have a proactive environmental policy. Green hotels implement proactive environmental policies that can be easily adopted by both guests and employees of the hotel. A genuine green hotel has developed an environmental policy and encourages employees and guests to follow it. According to the

policy, hotel staff are trained to incorporate sustainable practices in every possible way. An environmentally friendly hotel does not compromise on luxury and room comfort. The enlightened green hotel ensures that guests enjoy both comfort and luxury while also prioritizing eco-friendly practices. In the luxury hotel, there are comfortable beds available for sleeping, along with initiatives such as actively reusing sheets and using rainwater for toilet flushing in the luxurious bathrooms. Additionally, towel reuse strategies are implemented to reduce laundering. The hotel management always opts for healthy green furnishings and cleaning materials to decorate the guest rooms, and the floors are designed to promote sustainability. These green practices are easy to incorporate into daily operations and some do not even require certification.

For example, hotels can reduce their environmental impact by using non-toxic cleaning solutions such as laundry detergent and dishwashing liquids. There is no requirement for anyone to obtain a special license to use these materials. Additionally, new technologies such as solar energy and wind energy are being developed to replace electrical energy to some extent. While these technologies require a good infrastructure for installation, they can greatly help in saving power. Therefore, hotels should start utilizing these types of technologies to conserve energy. Similarly, hotels can adopt 100% organic materials like cotton for green practices, including bed sheets, towels, bath robes, and mattresses. London hotels like Hotel Cavendish are taking eco-friendly initiatives and have been recognized with prestigious awards such as the Green Tourism for London gold award.

In addition to receiving multiple awards for its efforts, Hotel Cavendish has a strong commitment to environmental sustainability. The hotel demonstrates this in various ways. For

example, it purchases ethically sourced coffee and fair trade tea for its guests. It also uses only eco-friendly chemicals and works closely with suppliers to reduce packaging and transportation time. The hotel ensures that its waste products are always sent for recycling. These impressive initiatives have earned Hotel Cavendish accolades such as the Gold Award in Sustainable Tourism, 3-Star Accreditation by the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA), and the Icarus Environmental Award.

Hotel Park Plaza

This hotel has partnered with Carbon impersonal company to implement global carbon reduction initiatives in order to minimize its environmental impact.

The Strand Palace Hotel

The Strand Palace Hotel has installed energy-saving light bulbs throughout the premises to conserve power. In terms of chemical usage, the hotel opts for biodegradable and eco-friendly products. Additionally, it generates electricity through a combination of heating and power units, which aids in reducing CO2 emissions. Moreover, the Strand Palace Hotel has established a dedicated Green team to address environmental concerns.

The Royal Trafalgar London

The Royal Trafalgar London hotel has implemented proactive measures to conserve water and energy. Devices are used in lavatories to save water and restrictors are installed for better control over water usage in showers. The hotel staff regularly checks the efficiency of the boiler and maintains a maximum water temperature. Additionally, movement detector controlled and low energy lighting systems are used throughout the hotel to save energy.

Hotel Rafayel

Hotel Rafayel is known as an eco-friendly luxury hotel that prioritizes sustainability. It offers organic and fair trade food and drinks to its guests. To save energy, the hotel has installed unique LED lighting systems with low

energy bulbs and air conditioning systems with low energy consumption. It also utilizes rainwater harvesting technology for irrigation purposes. Recycling processes are in place for glass, paper, and furniture, and the hotel has a no plastic policy.

Apex City of London Hotel

The Apex City of London Hotel incorporates environmentally friendly features such as offsetting carbon emissions, recycling waste products, controlling the energy consumption of lighting, heating and air conditioners, and monitoring the use of fuel and water.

Base2Stay Hotel

The Base2Stay Hotel in Kensington, London has made significant investments in developing environmental certifications and also encourages their employees to support this mission. They have implemented several initiatives, including the introduction of a zero emissions vehicle for guests. This electric car is equipped with state-of-the-art technology and has a top speed of 60 miles per hour. It is a cost-effective alternative to renting a car and also saves guests from dealing with traffic congestion, overnight parking fees, or gasoline charges.

The mission of Hotel Zetter is to provide eco-budget services to its guests. Hotel Zetter is known for its eco-boutique and is a beautiful hotel with a unique atmosphere. The hotel has implemented measures such as building a well under the structure to meet its water needs.

Hotel Savoy offers eco-ultra-deluxe services. They have taken green initiatives such as using high-efficiency hotel heating and cooling systems, as well as energy-intelligent controls. The hotel actively seeks potential guests and skilled staff to engage in events and establish partnerships with environmental charities.

The hotel has implemented a recycling and contribution programme to minimize waste and make the most of resources. This includes converting

wasted nutrients into renewable energy and supporting various charities. The hotel's environmentally-responsible practices extend to the kitchen as well, where the chef sources ingredients from local farmers and uses herbs from the hotel's herb garden.

Additionally, the hotel has taken several other measures to be more environmentally friendly. They have installed a dual-flush system in the bathrooms to conserve water and recycle paper, cardboard, obsolete IT equipment, glass, and plastic. The hotel also prioritizes using local produce and organic materials.

To enhance the guest experience, the hotel pays special attention to lighting arrangements throughout the day and night. They have adopted lighting systems that save energy, including automatic dimmers and motion sensors. Energy-efficient elevators have been installed to replace older ones.

Furthermore, the building management controls temperatures and promotes overall thermal performance by installing energy-efficient windows.

Research Framework

Drumhead

The following chapter provides an explanation that invention is a positive alteration. Invention involves transforming ideas within a company into enhanced products and services, as well as processes, in order to sustain and differentiate themselves from competitors. Invention can occur in various areas such as products, processes, logistics, market, and institutional aspects. For sustainable growth, companies introduce changes in these five elements. There are multiple factors that influence innovation, including supporting processes, hotel size, market factors and competition, hotel-specific characteristics, and supplier-driven factors. The hotel industry is focused on providing services. Hoteliers need to create value for customers in terms of guest room design, physical property, interpersonal services, functional services, and food and beverage-related services.

Employees of the house also contribute to innovation. Creativity is an internal trait of an individual that includes expertise, creative thinking,

and motivation. Companies should implement various training programs to enhance these skills of the individual. Workshop sessions are used to encourage brainstorming, problem-solving, and lateral thinking within the organization. Hotels strive to differentiate themselves by following various trends such as boutique hotels, energy spas, non-pet-friendly initiatives, revival of traditional wines, and eco-friendly hospitality initiatives. Eco-friendly practices have become a popular concept in every industry, including the hotel industry.

Some of the characteristics of eco friendly patterns include eco friendly hotels that harmonize with nature, genuinely green hotels that support the environment, eco-adjustment that helps minimize consumption of materials, proactive environmental policy, and eco-friendly hotels that will not sacrifice luxury and room comfort. Hotel Cavendish in London is a perfect example of an eco friendly-pioneering establishment. There are other examples of eco friendly patterns adopted by various hotels in London. Green practices such as paper and other material recycling, reduction in carbon emissions, rainwater harvesting, energy preservation, and conservation of other natural resources, are now common for many hotels. Hoteliers are further taking an extremely innovative approach to go green with cost-effective methods and achieving significant ROI. However, hotels that have implemented eco-friendly systems have proved that it is possible to do business with significant profit margins without compromising on luxury and comfort.

The clients actively participate in the "go green" initiatives with hotelkeepers.

Chapter Three-Methodology

Introduction

There are various research methods available for accomplishing the research goals, out of which one method must be selected. So, in the f