Keywords
hospitality industry
tourist animation
professional effectiveness
service quality
emotional labor
guest satisfaction
professional burnout
How to Cite
Abstract
Abstract. The article provides a theoretical interpretation of emotional intelligence as one of the key determinants of professional effectiveness in the hospitality industry, with a particular focus on the occupational specificity of a tourist animator. The study proceeds from the assumption that, within the experience economy, the competitiveness of tourism and hospitality enterprises is increasingly shaped not only by the material parameters of a service but also by the quality of emotionally intensive interpersonal interaction between employees and customers. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the role of emotional intelligence as a factor of professional effectiveness in hospitality and to identify the specific forms of its manifestation in the work of a tourist animator as a representative of a highly interactive service environment. It is argued that emotional intelligence in hospitality performs service, adaptive, protective, and managerial functions simultaneously, as it affects an employee’s ability to recognize guests’ emotional states, regulate personal affective reactions, maintain a positive emotional climate, reduce conflict, prevent burnout, and ensure consistent service performance. The study demonstrates that in the work of a tourist animator the significance of emotional intelligence becomes even more pronounced due to the constant need to read group dynamics, adjust communication styles, account for intercultural differences, coordinate team interaction, and create emotionally engaging leisure experiences. The practical value of the article lies in substantiating the need to integrate emotional intelligence into staff recruitment, training, assessment, and support systems in hospitality organizations. The article concludes that the development of employees’ emotional competence, especially in frontline service positions, should be considered an important prerequisite for improving service quality, strengthening guest satisfaction and loyalty, and enhancing the overall competitiveness of hospitality enterprises.
References
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Lee, J. H., & Ok, C. (2012). Reducing burnout and enhancing job satisfaction: Critical role of hotel employees’ emotional intelligence and emotional labor. International Journal of Hospitality Management, no. 31(4), pp. 1101–1112. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2012.01.007
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Stavrinoudis, T., Kakaroukas, C., & Georgopoulou, A. (2025). Emotional intelligence, leadership and human resources empowerment in luxury hotels: The case of Athens. Businesses, no. 5(4), article 54. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/businesses5040054
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