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This paper aims to respond to the strong calls for interdisciplinary solutions to address the many and varied challenges that major disasters create in urban (tourism) spaces, and provide a holistic conceptualisation of organisational responses to disruptions in the external business environment. It argues that organisations need to actively (re)formulate a sustainable business proposition to passively adapt to environmental conditions and modify the selective environment.

This study uses a qualitative approach to introducing and examining the concepts and theoretical constructs underpinning the proposed conceptual schemata. The content-driven inductive approach used here is based on an extensive review of the disaster recovery, crisis management, entrepreneurial strategy and urban tourism literature with a focus on organisational perspectives. It systematically brings together the theories and research findings from these separate strands of literature.

While the extant literature focuses on the importance of effective adaptability to survive and thrive in environmental uncertainties, some aspects of the relevant evolutionary processes are not addressed in the context of urban tourism. Indeed, a systematic approach that questions how urban tourism and hospitality businesses react to crises has been long overdue. This paper, therefore, introduces niche construction theory (NCT) as an alternative and proposes an integrated framework to understand the environmental conditions of urban tourism and organisational evolution during post-disaster turbulence.

The proposed model emerging from a multidisciplinary literature review acknowledges boundary conditions in the tourism industry-specific interpretation of a crisis situation. The tenets of NCT need to be adopted flexibly rather than as part of a strictly prescriptive process to allow for all aspects of the related business responses to play out and become exposed to the emerging selection pressures.

The argument underpinned by the theoretical constructs of niche construction encourages and offers a framework for practitioners to actively (re)formulate business proposition and (re)construct organisational niche to survive post-disaster turbulence in the business environment and exert influence over their own evolution.

This paper offers different angles, filters and lenses for constructing and interpreting knowledge of organisational evolution in the context of crisis management. The conceptual schema (Figure 2) emerged as a novel contribution itself providing a necessary lens to interpret the empirical data and understand the complexities of the organisational responses to the disruptive post-disaster turbulence in an urban tourism business environment.

This chapter highlights the overwhelming situation of plastic pollution in the Nigerian tourism sector. While plastic waste pollution is detrimental to the ecological system, it also has a direct negative effect on Nigeria's economic sectors including tourism. Approximately, 8% of the world's carbon emissions are caused by tourism-related activities. Tourism activities have contributed enormously to the improper disposal of trash, raw sewage and toxic chemicals into Nigeria's environment. However, there is a lack of comprehensive initiative or policy to curb the gigantic waste pollution in Nigeria, specifically in the Nigerian tourism sector. This has caused more confusion among the consumers and the tourism practitioners. Therefore, this chapter outlines the current situation, the implication for the businesses and the responsibility of the stakeholders.

The purpose of this chapter is to critically evaluate the development of technological infrastructure and the propensity of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) destinations to adopt digitalisation in their hotel sectors. This paper focuses on technological readiness, the types of digitalisation and its influence on the hotel sector in a post-pandemic environment.

The chapter is a critical and conceptual overview of digitalisation in the Latin America and the Caribbean hotel sectors, the contribution of the hotel sector to tourism economies, and digitalisation in LAC post COVID-19. A comprehensive examination of the academic literature is combined with the Network Readiness Index (NRI) and Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) on several LAC countries focusing on different scopes including ICT readiness, ICT environment and business usage from 2010 to 2020. The paper uses empirical data collected from NRI and TTCI on several LAC countries examining changes in development of information and communications technology (ICT) by conducting a longitudinal analysis over a ten-year period.

The chapter argues that digitalisation in the hotel sector has been given a lot of attention regarding the adoption of digitalisation during the pandemic by a continuation of activities involving check-in and check-out, providing safety for guests and staff and the recovery of the hotel sector by both hoteliers and academics. Yet, LAC have been slow when it comes to the development of ICT. This is shown on the NRI and the TTCI by their position on ICT infrastructure, ICT environment and business usage. Nevertheless, while their positions on the indexes are less than favourable, their scores are improving, but at a very slow rate.

Limited academic literature is available on digitalisation in LAC countries. There is no consistent data on the NRI and TTCI year to year for some of the countries examined in this study.

This study provides a comprehensive review of technological infrastructure development of countries of Latin America and Caribbean countries with an emphasis on digitalisation in a hospitality context. The chapter is a critical examination of digitalisation in the hotel sector in a post-pandemic environment.

In this chapter, we aim to analyse the role and benefits of a strategic approach to business partnerships and suggest suitable forms and strategies. Thus, the chapter’s purpose is to present the methods and models for business venturing applied in the tourism-related industries.

This chapter takes a perspective of the small business/prospective entrepreneur and analyses how the collaborative methods can contribute towards the business venture’s development and success. Literature review was conducted on issues and aspects of collaboration. Examples of best practices are used to illustrate the collaborative forms.

This chapter builds on extant bibliography to discuss the relevance of collaboration as well as its contribution within the tourism business environment. The study provides practical guidance and recommendations for the critical importance of adopting and implementing collaborative forms and strategies. Cooperation and collaborating could make a significant contribution in designing, managing and marketing services and experiences.

This study is explorative in nature because the discussion is based on a literature review. It takes more entrepreneurial/practical than academic approach.

Entrepreneurs should carefully consider the various collaborative options at the initial stage of their business venture in order to increase the probabilities of success. By entering into a business venture, tourism providers can also provide appealing experience opportunities and extra customer value. However, some key issues need to be considered and resolved in order to realise the potential benefits.

This chapter offers prospective entrepreneurs practical guidance of and insights in collaborative forms and strategies.

This chapter aims to present and analyse the phenomenon of ‘sharing economy’ or ‘collaborative consumption’ in relation to tourism entrepreneurship. It presents and highlights the factors contributing to the growth of sharing economy and its business models, as well as strategically analyse related opportunities, challenges, concerns and threats in the field of tourism entrepreneurship.

Literature review was conducted on conceptual issues and main aspects of sharing economy, combined with examples and case studies within the tourism business environment.

This chapter highlights the fact that tourism businesses face new developments, trends and changes in tourist consumer behaviour and travel technology. It shows that sharing economy is on the rise, already affecting all segments of tourism industry, offering significant opportunities, as well as challenges and threats.

This chapter is explorative in nature because the discussed is based on a literature review.

The sharing economy/collaborative consumption is transforming the way people access goods and services changing all elements of trip planning. This is of great significance to the tourism industry, considering the business opportunities in all segments of related businesses. It is suggested that tourism entrepreneurs – existing, new and prospective – should elaborate the suitable strategies to address the new challenges.

It analyses main issues and aspects of the sharing economy within the tourism context. This analysis contributes to an improved knowledge and understanding that are very useful to all existing and prospective tourism providers.

The aim of this chapter is to provide the readers with a brief background to the characteristics of tourism and a synoptic presentation of the main trends in tourism markets and challenges that tourism businesses should deal with.

A literature review was conducted on the relevant trends that can affect the management and marketing of tourism businesses. Micro case studies were also presented as practical examples of how tourism businesses have adapted to trends.

This chapter highlights the specific characteristics of the tourism industry, as well as the trends in the market/business environment. Tourism businesses need to remain aware of trends and find solutions to adapt their services and activities to take advantage of them.

This chapter is explorative in nature because it has made used of extant literature.

Tourism entrepreneurs are encouraged to stay abreast of changes in the business environment. Some of the examples provided may only be applicable in the short run but other examples have long-term impact. Valuable solutions are provided for consideration.

This chapter analyses several trends affecting the tourism industry from management and marketing perspectives. This analysis gives a better understanding of how these trends specifically affect tourism. This chapter highlights the importance of monitoring the trends and their evolution in the various markets.

The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the perceived implications of economic and monetary union (EMU) as a driver for changes in the hotel business environment and, consequently, on Portuguese competitiveness, in terms of the conceptual framework and methodology adopted and showing the way how it may contribute to help managers and decision makers to effectively manage their competitive strategies.

The paper adopted and adapted Porter's models (Diamond, Five Forces and Value Chain) as the basis for analysing the implications of EMU upon the hotel business environment (at national, industry and operational level). Those implications are the ones perceived by the stakeholders in that sector: public authorities, trade associations and hoteliers.

The findings indicated that EMU not only changed the hotel business environment at a national level, but also changed the competitive and operational environment. Nonetheless, as this study found, the hotel stakeholders had relatively different hopes and fears concerning EMU.

The paper offers a conceptual framework sufficiently versatile (regarding the context of the study) which can be used by decision makers or managers as a tool to understand their business environment and, consequently, to cope with potential challenges.

Two of the innovative features of this study are: the triangulation of perspectives on the implications of EMU on hotels and the use of a combination of Porter's models as a suitable tool for studying the implications of EMU in the services sector. This can be useful to service decision makers and managers that seek to cope with the business environment challenges.

This research paper aims is to evaluate the customer's views related to tourism quality in Egypt. It attempts to measure the extent to which tourism business environment is creative and innovative as necessary conditions for internal customer satisfaction.

The objectives of this research have been achieved through reviewing a number of literatures in the fields of services quality management and tourism quality measurements. The paper's outcomes have been obtained through two surveys, one to measure the satisfaction of the internal customer (employees) and the second to measure the external customer satisfaction (tourists).

The main conclusions of this research paper are: quality can be considered as a philosophy for guiding tourism organization/destination when taking decisions related to tourism services; tourism business environment in Egypt does not support the internal customer satisfaction because the absence of a suitable system for encouraging people to be creative and innovative; and in the area of the external customer satisfaction there is still a need for things to be done such as the environmental conditions improvements, internal transport quality enhancement, increasing people awareness, and improving the level of safety and security conditions.

There is a number of limitations which faced this paper research they are: the sample size is small, compared with the size of total population, that was reflected on the level of reliability of the research results; and the limited time allowed to the respondents was reflected on the validity of the research outcomes, because they interviewed at the last time of their journey by the time they are ready for departure.

A useful source of information about total quality management (TQM) and how practitioners can measure it. It provides wide guidelines for improving the quality of tourism services in total manner in Egypt.

This paper provides useful information that are needed for tourism services quality improvement. It offers a practical help to tourism planners and marketers in Egypt to understand the concept of TQM and how they can improve their services continually.

This paper seeks to find factors that influence the growth intention of female-owned small businesses in the Ghana’s tourism sector. The purpose of this paper is to investigate why some female entrepreneurs achieve growth objectives while others do not.

In this study, the authors seek to understand the growth intention within the tourism sector because it is not clear why some female entrepreneurs in Ghana pursue growth. The study applies quantitative techniques. A questionnaire survey was conducted with 110 female tourism entrepreneurs in Ghana. Data analysis was conducted using the non-parametric procedures of Spearman’s rank correlation.

The findings of this research reveal that female tourism entrepreneurs in Ghana feel they can expand without entrepreneurial ability(ies). However, the growth of the venture is restricted by the lack of financial resources. Opportunities in the tourism sector do generate more customers, but cannot alone determine growth intentions. Furthermore, an important finding of this study is that business advisory services do not contribute significantly to the growth intention of the venture. The research made clear that the pursuance of growth is related to different types of opportunities and finance leveraging.

The study has gender-specific, industry-specific, size-specific and region-specific limitations. Another limitation is focus on entrepreneurial ability, opportunity and business advisory support services as determinants of female entrepreneurs’ growth intention.

This study provides useful information for government, business agencies and academics seeking reasons on why female entrepreneurs have low growth intentions. Policy measures are provided in assisting women in achieving their growth aspirational needs and suggestions are recommended to encourage women to grow their small tourism businesses.

The research will contribute to improve the socio-economic status of women entrepreneurs in Africa.

This paper addresses an under-researched area of female tourism entrepreneurs and their growth intention from the perspective of a developing country such as Ghana.

This study aims at characterizing and identifying the existing research on tourism business networks.

The authors conducted a systematic mapping study to identify and analyze related literature. They identified 225 primary studies, dated from 1997-2016, and classified them with respect to research focus, types of research and contribution.

Seventy four studies were identified and mapped, synthesizing the available evidence on tourism business networks. “Business networks” with 27 articles is the dominant research focus and “Network configuration” with 22 articles is the next dominant one. Regarding the research type, “Solution proposal” is the most frequently used research type. “Interview” and “Case study”, respectively, were the most used research methods. However, “Agent-based modeling”, “Delphi study” and “Non-linear time series analysis” were used less often. “Philosophical paper” was the most common research type between 1997 and 2002, and after that “Solution proposal” was the dominant research paper type. Further, the number of publications has declined between 2012 and 2014.

This mapping study provides the first systematic exploration of the state-of-art on tourism business networks research. The existing body of knowledge is limited to a few high quality studies.