ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS A DOMINANT VECTOR FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND ENHANCEMENT OF COMPETITIVENESS IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

Abstract

The article is devoted to substantiating the role of entrepreneurship as a key driver of development and competitiveness in the hospitality industry amid digital economic transformation, intensifying global competition, and growing requirements for sustainable development. The research topic is relevant because it seeks to identify effective mechanisms for adapting hospitality and tourism enterprises to dynamic changes in the external environment, shifting consumer preferences, the active implementation of digital technologies, and the growing adoption of ESG approaches in modern management practices. The study aims to advance the theoretical and methodological foundations of entrepreneurship-oriented development in the hospitality industry to ensure competitiveness amid digital transformation and rising sustainability requirements.

To achieve this objective, the article examines existing approaches to understanding the essence of entrepreneurship and its role in shaping the competitive advantages of hospitality enterprises. The views of classical economic thinkers and contemporary scholars regarding entrepreneurial activity as a source of innovation, economic development, and strategic adaptation of business entities are summarized. The study substantiates the author's definition of entrepreneurship in the hospitality industry as a system for creating, developing, and commercializing innovative service solutions that generate sustainable competitive advantage by effectively utilizing human, digital, intellectual, and social capital. It has been revealed that under current conditions, the competitiveness of hospitality enterprises increasingly depends on their ability to integrate innovative technologies, digital solutions, sustainable development principles, and entrepreneurial management tools into a unified development framework. An entrepreneurship-oriented development mechanism for the hospitality industry is proposed, combining institutional, resource, marketing, digital-innovative, and ESG support components. The principles of entrepreneurial development in the hospitality industry are substantiated, including customer orientation, innovativeness, digital adaptability, service uniqueness, economic efficiency, sustainable development, partnership interaction, social responsibility, continuous staff training, and strategic flexibility. The practical value of the research results lies in the possibility of applying the proposed mechanism by hospitality enterprises, public authorities, and local governments in developing growth strategies, entrepreneurship support programs, and initiatives to enhance the competitiveness of tourist destinations.