INNOVATIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM OF HOTEL ENTERPRISES

Abstract

One of the most important keys to the successful development of the hotel industry is the implementation of innovations in practice. In the current conditions, those companies that will be the first and best able to adapt to the new realities and rules of the game will gain a competitive advantage. The importance to introduce innovations in the practice of the hotel industry is substantiates in the article. Their essence is defined and the main functions are given. Among many types of innovations, the article considers ones of the most common: infrastructure and technological innovations. Infrastructural innovations involve a departure from the traditional format of the building or location of the institution. The scope of technological innovations is extremely wide and includes both the use of new information systems in marketing policy and the introduction of new technological tools designed to make the stay as comfortable as possible and attract the attention of the guest. Successful world examples of implementing infrastructural innovations in the hotel sphere are given. The essence of technological innovations is described, and variants of their application at hotel enterprises are given. The article pays special attention to the analysis of ecological innovations, which we consider as a subspecies of technological ones. The essence of ecological innovations is defined by which we understand new products, technologies, and also ways of the organization of manufacture and the social programs consisting of new or changed processes, methods, systems at which use in various areas and spheres of activity there are improvements of an environment. risks, pollution or other negative environmental consequences. Areas in which ecological innovations can be introduced into the practice of hotel enterprises are substantiated: waste disposal, room cleaning with ecological detergents, staff training, organic catering services, natural style interior design, purchase of ecological raw materials and others. Thanks to the introduction of environmental innovations in these areas, the hotel can significantly reduce the negative impact on human health and the environment. The systems of ecological certification of the hotel industry are analyzed and one of the most popular programs of voluntary international ecological certification of hotel business institutions - "Green key" is described. This program aims to reduce the impact on the environment, promote the implementation of sustainable hotel business management, as well as to raise environmental awareness. It is substantiated that there are obstacles on the way to the introduction of ecological innovations in the hotel business. They usually include the high cost of implementing environmental innovations or their development, the amount of resources (temporary and intellectual) that must be spent to learn to work with these innovative technologies. Today, competition rules are tightening, and today those who do not rely on eco-innovation risk losing very seriously in the future.