Leadership and Innovation on Business Tourism: Implication of Employees

Introduction

“Today, we live in a dynamic and turbulent global community. The wave of mega-trends, including rapid change in globalization and technological advances, is creating new market forces. For any organization to survive and prosper in such an environment, innovation is imperative” (Lee & Trimi, 2018). Organizations which are prepared for the new and consistent difficulties of the market will be progressively arranged and would thus be able to oppose in an increasingly feasible manner to worldwide intensity (Jaén & Linan, 2013; Rojas, Morales, & Ramos, 2013).

Nevertheless, after the financial crisis of 2008, many companies changed their strategies to become more competitive on an international scale. Indeed, when scientific studies are concerned with economic crises, they tend to study only the economic consequences of these crises. However, economic crises have many consequences: economic but also social (changes in tourist consumption, especially in accommodation, and in the tourism sector, which is becoming more professional). The answers to the crisis exits are therefore various, according to the total maturity of the tourism sector.

Also, globalization characterized by high technology has allowed the development of the level of competition in the countries, which makes the situation more difficult for business tourism.

In fact, “business tourism corresponds to very different domains, its field enrolling alike: global diplomatic meetings and meetings between representatives of different countries, economic and trade negotiations meetings, meetings for the exchange of scientific and technical information and communication of the results of certain research and development projects, cultural and educational meetings, as well as events specific to various forms of cultural manifestation, sports competitions, etc. Business tourism is a form of tourism for commercial, governmental or educational purposes, with the recreational (leisure) part as a secondary motivation. There are many kinds of business tourism: individual trips, group trips, displacements at events (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Exhibitions (MICE), team building and training trips. Business tourism operates with a wide range of business corporations: hotel chains, tour operator travel agencies, organizers of trade fairs and exhibitions, business centers, which are grouped in most countries in professional structures or associations”, (Nicula & Elena, 2014).

Indeed, after the arrival of e-tourism, with the development of online sales sites for tourist services, the sector then experienced the revolution of m-tourism, through the rise of smartphones and applications that accompany them. But innovation is also generated by new expectations on the part of tourist customers, whether in their mode of consumption or the products, responding to new concerns. The current trends are looking for more authenticity, respect for the environment, local development, travel experiences ... The creation of new “experiences” for tourists is, therefore, one of the current foundations of innovation in the sector.

Indeed, the reason for innovation is substantially more significant than simply making more noteworthy client esteem, the better upper hand of firms, what's more, a domain for superior personal satisfaction. A definitive objective of innovation ought to be the formation of a superior future (Zhao & Guo, 2019).

As the Tunisian economy has embarked on a process of upgrading its economy. The tourism sector is a key sector in the country, hence the importance of restructuring. Indeed, Tunisia is an important destination for European tourists since the 1950s.

Although, a significant part of its market has been absorbed by new products and new destinations like Spain, especially after the post-revolution period. Hence the need to improve the quality of its offer, to invest in human capital, infrastructure and innovation.

However, few studies have examined the impact of innovation and leadership on business tourism in developing countries, particularly in Tunisia.

Also, it is interesting to study the hospitality industry, which is an essential element in the growth and sustainable development of this country, for many reasons. On the one hand, it is a bridge between Europe and Asia, and on the other hand, the country is experiencing rapid growth regarding population.