Developing a sustainable performance measurement framework for the hospitality industry: An empirical study with implications for the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Performance management research in the hospitality industry remains stagnant despite prevalence of multi-dimensional performance metrics. This study, thus, contributes to the hospitality industry and sustainability literature through developing a semi-hierarchical sustainability balanced scorecard scale considering the COVID-19 impact on the hospitality industry. As the Indian travel and tourism industry ranks in the bottom 20%-40% on health and hygiene and environment sustainability, this research study's setting, India, holds particular importance. Upon analyzing 200 questionnaires and five in-depth interviews from 4- and 5- star hotels in India through three-stage multi-method design of scale development, we proposed a scale of 21 indicators factored into six perspectives. A post hoc analysis added a new health and safety perspective to consider the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the hospitality industry and its endeavor to explore a road to recovery by stressing employee and tourist health and well-being. Implications from the study findings are also discussed.