From Tradition to Transformation: Unlocking Efficiency in Egypt’s Tourism Sector through Digital and Organizational Innovation

Abdelfattah, Sara Ahmed

doi:10.21608/mfth.2025.465356

From Tradition to Transformation: Unlocking Efficiency in Egypt’s Tourism Sector through Digital and Organizational Innovation"

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Sara Ahmed Abdelfattah

Lecturer, Tourism Studies Department Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Alexandria University, Egypt

10.21608/mfth.2025.465356

Abstract

This study investigates how digital transformation (DT) catalyzes organizational innovation (OI) within Egypt’s governmental tourism organizations. Using 40 semi-structured interviews (30 managers; 10 academics) and reflexive thematic analysis, seven themes were identified across technology adoption, organizational culture change, workforce adaptation, leadership, infrastructure, customer engagement, and ecosystem collaboration. DT was found to enhance operational efficiency, service quality, and value creation through technologies such as AI, big data, and cloud computing, while barriers included skills gaps, legacy infrastructure, fragmented strategies, and change resistance. The analysis integrates Dynamic Capabilities Theory (DCT), Organizational Innovation, Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) to explain micro-to-meso adoption patterns and capability reconfiguration in the public sector. Practical guidance is offered for leadership development, workforce upskilling, infrastructure investment, and ecosystem partnerships. The study advances theory by contextualizing DT–OI linkages in an emerging economy public-sector domain and provides policy-relevant insights for accelerating digital maturity and sustainable competitiveness.

Keywords