MANAGEMENT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE AIRPORT CITY CONCEPT
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.main##
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.sidebar##
Abstract
The article explores the management mechanisms of sustainable development in the hospitality industry through the lens of the Airport City concept, which integrates transportation, logistics, and service infrastructures into a unified economic ecosystem. The study highlights how aviation hubs function not only as transport nodes but also as powerful catalysts for the transformation of hospitality and tourism sectors, creating new models of regional competitiveness and spatial development. The research subject encompasses the interrelation between airport-centered logistics systems and the management of the HoReCa sector under conditions of growing global mobility. The methodological foundation of the research is based on a system approach and principles of strategic and sustainable management. Comparative and structural analyses were applied to examine the dynamics of hospitality development in European airport hubs such as Vienna, Frankfurt, Warsaw, and Budapest. The study also used statistical data from the Vienna Airport Group, ACI Europe, and national tourism authorities to evaluate investment trends, hotel performance indicators, and the efficiency of integrated logistics systems. The research combines theoretical synthesis with case-based analysis, focusing on the Airport City Vienna as a benchmark of effective integration between transport and hospitality infrastructures. The purpose of the study is to identify the managerial patterns and economic factors that determine the sustainability of hospitality development in regions with active airport-based economies. The research aims to reveal how the synergy between air transport, urban logistics, and service industries influences hotel performance, investment attractiveness, and the diversification of hospitality services. The findings indicate that airport cities represent a new model of territorial management where hospitality enterprises become integral elements of the transport and logistics chain. The analysis of Airport City Vienna demonstrates that the expansion of passenger flows and transport accessibility directly correlates with the growth of hotel occupancy, average daily rates, and investment volumes. Effective management of sustainable development in this context relies on integrated strategies combining public–private partnerships, digital transformation, ESG principles, and innovations in smart logistics. In conclusion, the study substantiates that the Airport City model can serve as a framework for managing the sustainable evolution of the hospitality industry. This framework enhances operational efficiency, supports green transition objectives, and strengthens the economic and social resilience of regions integrated into global air transport networks.
How to Cite
##plugins.themes.bootstrap3.article.details##
sustainable development, sustainability, hotel management, hospitality industry, airport city, airport, aerotropolis, air transport, transport logistics, transport management
Alonso-Almeida, M. del M., Bremser, K., & Llach, J. (2015). Proactive and reactive strategies deployed by restaurants in times of crisis: Effects on capabilities, organization, and competitive advantage. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 27(7): 1641–1661. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-03-2014-0156
Bohdanowicz, P., Simanic, B., & Martinac, I. (2011). Sustainable hotels—Environmental reporting according to Green Globe 21, Green Key and ISO 14001. Tourism Management, 32(6): 1474–1485. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2010.12.003
Dwyer, L., & Edwards, D. (2009). Sustainable tourism planning and management. In J. Tribe (Ed.), Philosophical issues in tourism (pp. 404–427). Channel View Publications.
Enz, C. A. (2010). Hospitality strategic management: Concepts and cases (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons.
Giousmpasoglou, C., Marinakou, E., & Cooper, J. (2019). Management and leadership in the hospitality and tourism industry. Goodfellow Publishers.
Hjalager, A. M. (2010). A review of innovation research in tourism. Tourism Management, 31(1): 1–12. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2009.08.012
Jones, P., & Lockwood, A. (2018). The management of hotel operations (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Kim, W. G., Li, J., & Brymer, R. A. (2016). The impact of social media reviews on hotel performance: The moderating role of service quality. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 55: 41–51. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2016.03.001
Pizam, A., & Mansfeld, Y. (Eds.). (2009). Consumer behavior in travel and tourism. Routledge.
Stipanuk, D. M. (2020). Hospitality facilities management and design (5th ed.). AHLEI.
Zhang, L., Song, H., & Huang, G. Q. (2009). Tourism supply chain management: A new research agenda. Tourism Management, 30(3): 345–358. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2008.12.010
Hall, C. M., & Gössling, S. (2016). Sustainable culinary systems: Local foods, innovation, and tourism & hospitality. Routledge.
Kasim, A. (2009). Managerial attitudes towards environmental management among small and medium hotels in Kuala Lumpur. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 17(6): 709–725. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09669580902928468
Page, S. J., & Connell, J. (2020). Tourism: A modern synthesis (5th ed.). Cengage Learning.
SEO Amsterdam Economics & ACI EUROPE. (2024). The economic and social impact of European airports and air connectivity (report). Available at: https://www.aci-europe.org/downloads/resources/SEO%20Amsterdam%20Economics%20Study%20-%20The%20Economic%20and%20social%20impact%20of%20European%20Airports%20and%20air%20connectivity.pdf
Graham, A. (2020). Managing airports: An international perspective (6th ed.). Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429298865
Güller, M., & Güller, M. (2003). From airport to airport city. Gustavo Gili.
InterVISTAS Consulting. (2015). Economic impact of European airports. Airports Council International. Available at: https://www.aci-europe.org/downloads/resources/intervistas-study.pdf
Kasarda, J. D. (2019). Aerotropolis: The logic of global air commerce. HarperCollins.
Kasarda, J. D., & Appold, S. J. (2014). Planning a competitive aerotropolis. In J.-P. Rodrigue, C. Comtois, & B. Slack (Eds.), The economics of transport (pp. 203–228). Elsevier. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-408126-9.00009-3
Kasarda, J. D., & Green, J. D. (2015). Air cargo as an economic development engine: A theoretical and empirical analysis. Journal of Air Transport Management, 42: 21–29. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jairtraman.2014.08.004
Kasarda, J.; Lindsay, G. Aerotropolis: The Way We’ll Live Next; Farrar, Strauss Giroux: New York, NY, USA, 2012.
Rodrigue, J.-P., & Notteboom, T. (2022). The geography of transport systems (5th ed.). Routledge. Available at: https://transportgeography.org/
UNWTO. (2024). Tourism and transport: Moving toward greater connectivity. World Tourism Organization. Available at: https://www.unwto.org/
Camilleri, M. A. (2025). Sustainability accounting and disclosures of responsible restaurant practices in ESG reports. International Journal of Hospitality Management, Volume 126, April 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2024.104051
Jang, Y. J. (2024). Charting a Course for Sustainable Hospitality by Exploring Leadership Theories and Their Implications. Sustainability, 16 (8): 3203. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su16083203
Khatter, A. (2023). Challenges and Solutions for Environmental Sustainability in the Hospitality Sector. Sustainability, 15(15): 11491. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su151511491
Oxera for ERAA. (2025). The Economic, Social and Environmental Value of Regional Aviation in Europe (report).
Rudnicki, M., & Borodako, K. (2023). Air transport accessibility in business tourism destinations in the COVID-19 pandemic – A Central and Eastern Europe perspective. Hotel and Tourism Management, 11(1): 9–23. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5937/menhottur2301009R
Shahparan, M. (2024). Modern Logistics in Tourism and Hospitality Sector: An Analysis based on 21st Century. Journal of Tourism Sustainability, Vol. 4 No. 1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.35313/jtospolban.v4i1.110
Tourism summer season 2024 with new all-timehigh in overnight stays. (2024). Press release. Austrian National Tourist Office. Available at: https://www.statistik.at/fileadmin/announcement/2024/12/20241204TourismusSommerhalbjahr2024EN.pdf
Hotel industry performance in Vienna (2015–2025). Statista. (2025).
Annual Report 2024: Airport City Vienna Development Overview (2025). Vienna Airport Group. Available at: https://viennaairport.com/jart/prj3/va/uploads/data-uploads/IR/2025/VIE_GB_2024_EN.pdf
Saputra, K. A. K., Subroto, B., Rahman, A. F., & Saraswati, E. (2023). Sustainability Performance in Hospitality Industry: Interaction of Strategic Sustainability Management and Sat Kerthi Culture. Jurnal Ilmiah Akuntansi dan Bisnis, 18(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.24843/JIAB.2023.v18.i01.p10
Sharma, R. (2023). Hospitality sustainable practices, a global perspective. Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, 15(3): 212–219. Emerald Publishing. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/WHATT-02-2023-0022
Shepeleva, O., Stepanets, I., Zatsepina, N., Kish, G., & Hrynyuk, D. (2025). Tourism Innovations in the Age of Digital Culture: Gaming Approaches to Hospitality as a Sociocultural Phenomenon. International Journal on Culture, History, and Religion, 7(SI1.2): 290–310. DOI: https://doi.org/10.63931/ijchr.v7iSI1.2.459
Avi, M. S. (2023). Reducing food and water waste in hotels: Sustainability at risk? International Journal of Tourism and Hotel Management, 5(1): 17–25. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22271/27069583.2023.v5.i1a.61
Parsakia, K. (2024). Resource Management Strategies in the Hospitality Industry: Balancing Profit and Sustainability. Journal of Resource Management and Decision Engineering, 2(4): 17–23. DOI: https://doi.org/10.61838/kman.jrmde.2.4.4
Chakraborty, R. (2024). A Sustainable Path to Hospitality Excellence and Green Initiatives in Hotel Management. Journal of Hotel & Business Management, 12(4): 056. DOI: https://doi.org/10.35248/2169-0286.24.12.056

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.