Responsible tourism incorporates economic, environmental and social imperatives in accordance with ‘sustainable tourism’ notions (Booyens & Rogerson, 2016a). This research argues that tourism firms need to innovate in order to be economically competitive, as well as implement environmentally and socially responsible practices to achieve sustainability. Innovation is critical at tourism enterprise level to enhance competitive advantage and performance and correspondingly to ensure business survival in the contemporary global environment (Tigu et al, 2013; Williams, 2014; Omerzel, 2016). Arguably, innovation in tourism should not only be concerned with tourism enterprise level economic viability, but also with the environmental and social sustainability of host destinations and communities (cf. Hall, 2009; Weeden, 2013; Brookes et al., 2014). This said, it is observed that whilst tourism innovation is a growing topic of inquiry across tourism and hospitality studies, questions about innovation in relation to sustainability in tourism are neglected (Hall, 2009; Hjalager, 2014; Saarinen, 2014).

Booyens & Rogerson, Responsible tourism and innovation practices by tourism enterprises in the Western Cape.pdf