Purpose - This study aims to identify the extent to which different motivational elements can support strong bonds and good cooperation between front-line employees and hotels’ leadership in times of crisis and work suspension. Design - The views of a sample of employees working in 4 and 5 star hotels in Heraklion Prefecture were studied in May 2020, when hotel operations were suspended. Methodology - Two hundred and one completed questionnaires were collected, consisting of 31 six-point Likert scales, whose data were analysed using the Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Approach - The Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) followed the principal component method of extraction based on a varimax rotation, while the CFA adοpted the method of Structural Equation Modeling, that was based on the maximum likelihood method of estimation. Results - In times of crisis, front-line employees of hotels consider that the creation of strong bonds and a good spirit of cooperation and communication between them and the leadership of the hotels is strongly based on the exploitation of their skills and the developmental opportunities offered. Originality of the research - The research identified motivational factors that can support the creation of strong bonds and a good spirit of cooperation and communication between front-line employees and hotel management in times of crisis. On a practical level, the findings can help hotel managers gain strategic advantage and experience for the future, should they need to deal with similar situations.

The training of human resources in hotel businesses is very important since it is directly related to creating a competitive advantage by improving its performance. The main research objective of the present study is to investigate the effectiveness of training methods with regard to the improvement of human resources performance in hotel businesses. Field research was conducted by collecting quantitative data from 17/3/2022 to 17/5/2022 in Greece through a questionnaire from a "convenience" sample of 135 hotel employees. Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis was used to analyze the collected data statistically. The improvement of the performance of the human resources of a hotel is related to a mixture of training methods that favor formal and informal learning: Case Studies, Business Games and Mentoring. The results of this study have led a) to the creation and validation of four new Likert-type scales that other researchers in the future can use, and b) to the creation of specialized mixtures of training methods that hotel managers can apply to improve the performance of human resources in specific fields of interest.

This article aims to explore the impact of a hotel's reward system on strengthening: positive relationships and communication among employees; the creation of a change-friendly organizational climate and cultural change barriers, within the context of a cultural change process in a hotel. Quantitative data were collected from a proportionally stratified, representative sample of 207 Greek five-star hotels' senior executives and analyzed with the principal component method of extraction and structural equation modeling. This led to the creation and validation of three prototype second-order latent variable models, which highlight and depict the impact of individual variables and their importance for a reward system creating an organizational climate for or against cultural change in hotels. The originality of the article lays on both theoretical and practical levels. On a theoretical level, the article's findings manage to fill a knowledge gap through a novel modeling of a reward system on a hotel's organizational climate in times of cultural change. On a practical level, the article findings enable hotels' executives to focus on specific variables of a reward system that can enhance and/or prevent a cultural change initiative.

Purpose: The changing business environment challenges human resources (HR) in tourism, revealing a skills gap between HR competencies and business needs. This article seeks to provide a comprehensive analysis of the essential skills required in the tourism industry over time, identify emerging trends and delve into future challenges that tourism professionals may face. Design/methodology/approach: Using bibliometric analysis, authors examine existing scientific knowledge and its evolution, providing valuable insights for the future. Findings: A range of specific skills has been pinpointed, each possessing either a well-established value or demonstrating emerging or limited potential in the ever-evolving tourism sector over time. Originality/value: The article makes a significant contribution by offering a comprehensive mapping of existing knowledge while also highlighting emerging trends in essential HR skills within the tourism industry.

In recent years, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a noticeable rise in demand for luxury urban hospitality services. Luxury hospitality is not solely about costly offerings; it emphasises creating authentic, personalised, and wellness-focused experiences. Successful luxury hotel operations depend on emotional intelligence, supportive leadership, and HR empowerment. This research aims to identify the variables positively associated with these factors in metropolitan hotels and to propose HRM policies to enhance them. Conducted from March to May 2025 in Athens, Greece, with a sample of 220 luxury five-star hotel employees, the research utilised Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses. The Exploratory Factor Analysis was performed using the method of Principal Components Extraction, while the Confirmatory Factor Analysis employed Structural Equation Modelling. The analysis of the research findings highlighted specific variables that are positively correlated with the development of the emotional intelligence, supportive leadership, and HR empowerment needed to deliver luxury services in metropolitan destination hotels. This paper provides validated Likert-type scales and practical insights for developing these essential workplace factors in luxury hotels, ultimately improving customer service and employee support.