How can tourism managers' happiness be generated through personal and innovative tourism services?

Abstract

PurposeThere has recently been much interest in analysing the creation of personalised tourism services and studying their effect on organisations. However, there still needs to be more work in analysing their effect on happiness and the role that emotions play in these processes. This paper aims to analyse, in the context of personalised and innovative tourism services, which factors can encourage and improve managers' happiness.Design/methodology/approachA model of analysis is presented with five variables: tourism managers' happiness (TMH), innovative personalised tourism services, internal factors: emotions (IFE), organisational factors (OF) and personal factors (PF). Eight hypotheses are proposed and tested with a structural equation model.FindingsThe results allow the authors to affirm that personalised technological advances applied to tourism services not only contribute to improving the happiness of hotel managers but also in generating emotions that contribute to improving their attitude towards the company.Research limitations/implicationsThis scientific work has some limitations. Firstly, this study was carried out exclusively in Spain due to the relevance of this country in the international tourism sector, according to the World Tourism Organisation. The results achieved in this research should be contrasted with other studies in other territories. Secondly, the interviews and surveys were carried out at specific time intervals. It has not led to problems of significant bias in the variance of the standard method. Therefore, it is desirable to undertake longitudinal or cross-sectional studies for future research. Thirdly, it is interesting to develop theoretical models that include other psycho-directive or leadership style constructs to determine whether they holistically enhance the subjective well-being of hospitality managers. Moreover, other types of factors of a social or strategic nature can be considered, which can positively or negatively impact the analysed variables. Finally, future research can deepen the empirical analysis of the relationship between managerial competencies and digital innovation from the perspective of happiness management. These findings would contribute to a greater cognitive understanding of the implications of personalised and innovative tourism services on hotel establishments' happiness and economic benefits.Practical implicationsThis paper shows the fundamental role of a happy leadership style in creating responsible, green and innovative environments in today's digital society. Furthermore, the happiness of tourism managers can contribute to the generation of high quality and excellent services that are in line with the principles of sustainable development.Social implicationsPersonalised technological advances applied to tourism services not only contribute to improving the happiness of hotel managers but also to generating emotions that contribute to improving their attitude towards the company. On the other hand, it has been observed that personalised and innovative tourism services generate positive effects at organisational, internal and personal levels. The following reflections are advanced: The development of internal factors such as the emotions of awe and gratitude or the generation of trust can enhance the happiness of tourism managers. The happiness of tourism business managers can be enhanced by developing OF such as smart-personalised tourism services and data protection. The happiness of tourism managers can be enhanced by the development of PF such as travellers' desires, expectations and needs, or other factors such as disposable income, health status or family situation.Originality/valueThis is the first empirical study that focuses on investigating how personalised and innovative tourism services affect managing happiness.

Guest editorial: Happiness management – A holy grail to be discovered by companies in the age of artificial intelligence

“…This special issue aims to make its readers think that the attractive philosophy of happiness management is associated with productivity, innovation, competitiveness and intrapreneurship (Galván-Vela et al , 2021). In this way, company managers will be able, on the one hand, to cohabit with the five horse riders of the apocalypse, which will ensure the job satisfaction of their human capital (Robina-Ramírez et al , 2023b). On the other hand, designing organisational cultures based on creativity, emotional pay, happy leadership and corporate social responsibility (Díaz-García et al , 2023).…”

“…Previous scientific studies empirically demonstrate that the absence of corporate happiness within companies is synonymous with stress, emotional exhaustion or psychological problems on the part of their internal customers (Robina-Ramirez et al , 2023a, b). These elements, and many others, not only negatively affect work performance and motivation but also lead to poor work performance due to inefficient and wrong decisions from a functional and operational point of view.…”