Transformation of tourism: innovations in the world’s busiest airports

Abstract

The tourism sector plays a critical role in countries' economic development. However, the tourism sector is rapidly transformed due to tourism consumers' changing expectations driven by socioeconomic, technological, psychological, political and other factors. These natural transformations lead to innovations as a tool to increase the competitiveness of tourism companies. Airports are in the forefront of the tourism sector, and because of the global changes, the nature of airports has been transformed and competition in the airport industry is intensifying across the world. All the airport operators are trying to improve their facilities and services in order to increase the number of their passengers and to compete with other airports. Innovation types used in tourism and airports are product or service, process, management and organization, marketing, and institutional innovations. This study aims to compare the busiest airports (Atlanta and Beijing airports) in the world, and examine the similarities and differences of these airports which play an important role in tourism.