Eco-Innovation in Tourism: An Overview of a Promising Field of Research

This paper aims to contribute to the debate on sustainable tourism from the perspective of eco-innovation. Focusing on the challenges of sustainability in tourism, both for companies and destinations, this paper provides a critical reading of the literature on eco-innovation in tourism to derive a state-of-the art and depict roots for the future development of the research. As a complex and integrated system of products and services, tourism is an industry with a large impact on the environment and local communities, and for this reason, it is called on to implement sustainable strategies of development and growth. The challenges of sustainability in tourism can benefit from eco-innovation as a driver for reducing its impacts on the environment, thus contributing to the implementation of a circular economy. Framed in these premises, this paper presents the results of a critical review identifying the main trends structured into (1) energy efficiency and smart mobility; (2) governance, key performance indicators, and socioeconomic performances; (3) industrial ecology and eco-certifications; (4) rural development and circular economy; and (5) intangibles and knowledge-based enablers. Implications arise for theory and practice in terms of eco-innovation strategies and enablers, servitization, and digital transformation.