Conceived vs. Operationalised Innovation: A Study of Tourism Entrepreneurs

This study explores the meanings and practices of innovation in tourism companies, focusing on the alignment (or misalignment) between conceived and implemented innovations. Drawing on 35 semi-structured interviews with managers of tourism businesses in Natal, Brazil, conducted and monitored from 2019 to 2023, the research provides a longitudinal perspective on innovation dynamics. The findings reveal that while managers' conceptualisations of innovation align with existing literature, the implementation often surpasses their initial conceptual scope. Innovation is perceived as continuous learning and adaptation driven by stakeholder interactions, sustainability imperatives, and market demands. The study also highlights the temporal dimension of innovation, as the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and rapid digital transformation intensified the need for innovative responses. These findings underscore the importance of bridging the gap between the design and execution of innovation, offering critical insights for developing effective tools to measure and manage innovation in the tourism sector. The research contributes to the global discourse on tourism innovation by emphasising the interplay between theory and localised entrepreneurial practices.