Establishing a benchmarking approach in tourism organizations and destinations

Ekonomou, George and Halkos, George (2024): Establishing a benchmarking approach in tourism organizations and destinations.

Abstract

In our modern world, the intensity of economic activities dominates the linkages between the natural environment and the economic system. By nature, organizations and entrepreneurs strive to gain more and advance their position in terms of competitiveness, frequently, within volatile market conditions and uncertainty. In this generic situation, specific sectors have a crucial role. Tourism is a sector with a well-acknowledged potential, and its interaction with the natural environment has been discussed thoroughly in the process of tourism expansion and development. To this effort, environmental performance levels should be an issue of high importance to avoid degradation, depletion of resources, and low-quality rates. As a direct consequence, environmental benchmarking should remain at the top of the agenda to avoid market failure phenomena and negative externalities, underscoring the significant role each of us plays in sustainable tourism development. The aim of this study is to present a theoretical point of view at the interface of the tourism economy and environmental quality concerns. In parallel, this study discusses key determinants that affect sustainable tourism development and proposes its inclusion in relevant environmental management and marketing plans, promising a brighter future for the tourism industry and the environment.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Environmental quality; benchmarking; sustainable tourism development; management plans.
• Subjects: O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development > O10 - General; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O2 - Development Planning and Policy > O21 - Planning Models ; Planning Policy; Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics ; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q0 - General > Q01 - Sustainable Development; Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics ; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q5 - Environmental Economics > Q50 - General; Q - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics ; Environmental and Ecological Economics > Q5 - Environmental Economics > Q56 - Environment and Development ; Environment and Trade ; Sustainability ; Environmental Accounts and Accounting ; Environmental Equity ; Population Growth; Z - Other Special Topics > Z0 - General

References

Alkhars, M.A., Alwahaishi, S., Fallatah, M.R. & Kayal, A. (2022). A literature review of the Environmental Kuznets Curve in GCC for 2010–2020. Environmental and Sustainability Indicators, 14: 100181.

Barkley, B.T., & Saylor, J.H. (2001). Customer-driven project management: Building quality into project processes. New York: McGraw Hill.

Bhutta, K.S., & Huq, F. (1999). Benchmarking–best practices: an integrated approach. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 6(3): 254–268.

Ekonomou, G., & Halkos, G. (2024). Exploring the concept of tourism competitivenessacross the OECD countries. Current Issues in Tourism, https:doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2024. 2388803

Ekonomou, G., & Halkos, G. (2024). Can tourism growth drive environmental improvements in the Eurozone economic space: A panel data analysis. World Development Sustainability, 4: 100139.

Halkos, G.E. (2013). Exploring the economy–environment relationship in the case of sulphur emissions. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 56(2): 159-177.

Halkos, G.E. & Tsionas, E.C. (2001). Environmental Kuznets curves: Bayesian evidence from switching regime models. Energy Economics, 23: 191-210.

Halkos G. and Argyropoulou G. (2021). Pollution and health effects: A nonparametric approach Computational Economics 58 (3), 691-714.

Halkos G.E. and Gkampoura E.C. (2021). Coping with energy poverty: Measurements, drivers, impacts, and solutions Energies 14(10): 2807

Halkos, G., & Ekonomou, G. (2023). Can business and leisure tourism spending lead to lower environmental degradation levels? Research on the Eurozone Economic Space? Sustainability, 15: 60-63.

Halkos, G. & Paizanos, E. (2017). The channels of the effect of government expenditure on the environment: Evidence using dynamic panel data. Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 60 (1): 135-157.

Project Management Institute. (2004). A guide to the project management body of knowledge. PMBOK® Guide (3rd ed.). Newtown Square, PA: Author.

Reider, R. (2000). Benchmarking strategies: A tool for profit improvement. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

Wong & Wong (2008). A review on benchmarking of supply chain performance measures. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 15(1): 25–52.

Xu, X., Liu, Z., Liu, W., Pei, C., Wu, X., & Noe, Z. (2014). A sustainable development benchmarking framework for energy companies based on topic mining and knowledge graph: The case of oil and gas industry. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 196, 114350.