Knowledge-based resources and innovation in the hotel industry

•This paper analyzes firms providing tourist accommodation in hotels throughout Spain.•Tested the impact of the knowledge resources on innovation in hotel sector.•Knowledge resources have an important role in development of innovations.

Although the study of innovation in the hotel industry is a key issue, little is known about the determinants of innovation in this sector, as most innovation research has focused on manufacturing firms or knowledge-intensive services. Furthermore, although research suggests that knowledge is a critical asset for achieving innovation performance, few studies have explored how knowledge operates in the hotel industry. This paper aims to provide empirical evidence about the role played by a set of knowledge-based resources in determining innovation activity in tourist accommodation firms. Data from 109 companies operating hotels in Spain suggest that intangible assets should be considered in this sector when attempting to explain the innovation capacity of firms.