Hospitality Innovation: A Bibliometric Review from 2000-2024

The hospitality industry has experienced significant transformation driven by continuous innovation, reshaping business operations and service delivery. This study aims to analyze innovation trends in the hospitality sector by identifying key research themes, underlying factors, and employee contributions to the innovation process. The primary objective is to understand how innovation impacts business performance, what antecedents drive innovation, and how employee behavior supports its implementation. To achieve this, a bibliometric and content analysis approach was utilized. A total of 2,602 English-language articles published between 2000 and 2024 were retrieved from the Web of Science database. Bibliometric analysis was conducted to examine the research landscape, followed by a co-occurrence analysis to identify dominant themes. Content analysis provided deeper insights into subthemes related to hospitality innovation. The study identified three main themes: (1) the impact of innovation, (2) antecedents of innovation, and (3) employees’ behavior. The impact of innovation includes competitive advantage, market expansion, customer satisfaction, and business performance. Antecedents of innovation consist of leadership style, employee empowerment, and sociocultural trends that drive innovation. Employee behavior, as the third theme, highlights knowledge exchange, teamwork, flexibility, and learning abilities, all essential for fostering innovation. By synthesizing existing literature, this study provides valuable insights into the complex relationships between innovation drivers and outcomes in hospitality. The findings contribute to both academic research and industry practices, offering guidance for future innovation strategies. Further research is recommended to explore emerging trends and address identified gaps.