Innovation and service experiences in small tourism family firms

Purpose - This paper aims to explore the pertinent issues of innovation and service experiences in family firms in the tourism industry, which are mostly small-and medium-sized enterprises. Design/methodology/approach - The conceptual paper, building on social identity theory, undertakes a thorough review of the relevant literature before developing propositions regarding innovation and service experiences for small family firms in the tourism industry. Findings - Small tourism family firms are faced with deficits in strategic orientation and innovation, and cooperation seems to be a means to overcome size deficits in family-run businesses. Customers integrated into the service experience enhance innovative developments and foster innovation in small tourism firms. As a prerequisite, the service experience must be appropriately managed by collecting and evaluating relevant data on customers' needs, expectations and satisfaction. An open-minded and consumer-focused market-driven strategy seems to be an advantage. Practical implications - Future research should undertake empirical studies to validate and/or modify the propositions presented in this conceptual paper. Originality/value - This is one of the few studies to have addressed the relationship between service experiences and innovation for family-run small businesses in the tourism industry.