The new face of the tourism industry under a circular economy

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the evolution of the tourism ecosystem within a circular economy, considering relevant factors that influence the transition towards the circular economy model. Design/methodology/approach – This reflection is carried out from an organisational perspective and employs a strategic management approach combined with a neo-institutional theoretical lens. Findings – Four scenarios are identified after selecting several pertinent internal and external dimensions, which will help to understand the form and pace of the expected transition towards a tourism circular economy. Research limitations/implications – Other variables could have been used for the scenario creation aim, which can be deemed a limitation. Practical implications – Tourism operators can position themselves within this framework to analyse their conditions in order to address this unavoidable strategic change. Originality/value – To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first academic work written in this line of research