A wasted invitation to innovate? Creativity and innovation in tourism crisis management: A QC&IM approach

Abstract

This paper introduces the QC&IM (Quadratic Creativity & Innovation Model) for the mapping, development and implementation of creativity and innovation-oriented crisis management and mitigation solutions. The model is a four quadrants diagram of (1) ‘old school’; (2) ‘trial-and-error’; (3) ‘incremental’, and (4) ‘breakthrough’. Each represents a distinct case out of a two-axis grid of crisis thinking and crisis actions. A complementary, holistic schematic process of creativity- and innovation-based tourism crisis management follows. The paper outlines the model's methodological, theoretical, formulation, and evolution process. This is part of a qualitative integrated multi-layered study examining the Israeli 2nd Intifada security-induced tourism crisis (2000–2008) from the viewpoint of creativity and innovation. The aim was to evaluate the extent of creativity and innovation involved in crisis interventions and their implications, in efforts to mitigate what was considered, and still is, Israel's most catastrophic and prolonged security-induced tourism crisis. Findings reveal predominantly conservative and reactive conduct with a ‘lack of appetite’ for anything new. In terms of creativity- and innovation-based crisis response, minimal and sporadic implementation was evident.

This paper contributes to the literature by a novel theoretic approach that combines three realms of knowledge: (1) creativity in tourism; (2) innovation in tourism, and (3) tourism crisis management. It also establishes a theoretical framework for creativity- and innovation-based evaluation criteria as the basis for the formulation of the QC&IM. In practice, destinations worldwide seeking alternative, new and ‘out-of-the-box’ solutions might benefit from implementing the model.

Introduction

Whereas creativity and innovation have rapidly emerged as essential strategies to achieve destination competitiveness, increase profitability and attain business success, their role in security-induced tourism crisis management has not gained any academic interest (Carlisle et al., 2014; Hall et al., 2009; Mei et al., 2015; Nagy, 2012; Weiermair, 2004).

As of September 11th, the tranquil global industry of pleasure and delight is no longer as carefree as it was. Destinations worldwide have been confronted with various threats, hazards and crises of human-made or natural causes (Glaesser, 2006; Haddad et al., 2015; Pforr & Hosie, 2013; Tarlow, 2014). As no place is immune from an unpredicted crisis that might strike at any moment, sometimes without warning, understanding the theoretical and applied challenges of crises is a primary concern in today's tourism and hospitality industry worldwide (Beirman, 2003; Dwyer & Čavlek, 2019; Hall, 2010; Hystad & Keller, 2008; Lerbinger, 2012).

As tourism growth is occasionally interrupted, crisis management and mitigation have become increasingly significant. Yet, one might wonder whether yesterday's solutions can also serve today's challenges, certainly in the case of a crisis itself being a complex and uncertain issue. In this respect, this paper addresses the issues of security-induced tourism crises from a fresh viewpoint, and combines three theoretical perspectives: (a) tourism crisis management, with (b) creativity in tourism, and (c) innovation in tourism. It aims to understand the anatomy and challenges of crises through the creativity and innovation prism. To the best of knowledge, these separate and established theoretical fields have yet to be combined in the area of security-induced tourism crises.

The Israeli unprecedented security-induced tourism crisis (2000–2008) following the 2nd Intifada (violent Palestinian uprising) is used as a case study to evaluate the extent of creativity and innovation involved in the crisis interventions and their implications, in efforts made by the entire Israeli tourism and hospitality production chain to mitigate such a severe and prolonged crisis.

Given the identified gaps in the literature, and the distinctive Israeli case, a qualitative approach was undertaken to identify whether there were any new or improved (innovative) crisis management processes (strategies, practices, procedures and collaborations) that originated in novel, flexible thinking (creativity) and a renewed ‘out-of-the-box’ crisis approach? If so, what influence, if any, did they have on the process of crisis management and mitigation?