Title: Integrating innovation and sustainability into tour operator business

Authors: Salmi Mohd Isa; Maisarah Abd Hamid; Shaian Kiumarsi; Amar Hisham Jaaffar

Addresses: Graduate School of Business (GSB), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), USM, 11800, Malaysia ' Graduate School of Business (GSB), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), USM, 11800, Malaysia ' Graduate School of Business (GSB), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), USM, 11800, Malaysia ' Institute of Energy Policy and Research (IEPRe), Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Putrajaya, Malaysia

Abstract: A considerable amount of attention has been paid to the sustainable development of the tourism industry and yet research on the role of tour operator has remained limited. The tour operator has important roles in destination management for sustainable tourism. Given that the empirical study of destination management for sustainable tourism is in an undeveloped state, this research describes efforts to prove its mediator role between perceived innovation characteristics and business sustainable orientation towards tour operator roles. Based on a study among 228 tour operator roles in Malaysia, the analyses reveal that sustainable destination management enhances a positive relationship with perceived innovation characteristics and sustainable business orientation on tour operator roles. In this regard, it is proposed that the perceived innovation characteristics and sustainable business orientation, as well as the destination management, are manifestation of sustainable development that influence tour operator to perform their role more sustainable in tourism industry.

Keywords: perceived innovation; sustainable business orientation; sustainable destination management; tour operator roles; sustainable tourism; Malaysia.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISD.2021.118373

International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, 2021 Vol.15 No.4, pp.458 - 474

Received: 20 Apr 2019
Accepted: 07 Oct 2019
Published online: 25 Oct 2021 *

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