Strategic Innovation and Responsible Tourism: : A Competitive Improvement Model for Regional Spas in Mexico.

Miguel Bonifacio Chulim Lemus; Aura Paulina Flores Barrera; Jorge Alberto Esponda Pérez

doi:10.29057/jas.v8i15.16759

Authors

Miguel Bonifacio Chulim Lemus Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2533-4595
Aura Paulina Flores Barrera Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6906-2299
Jorge Alberto Esponda Pérez Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6821-5361

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29057/jas.v8i15.16759

Keywords:

Competitiveness, tourism innovation, benchmarking, sustainability, spa and hotel

Abstract

This research aims to develop a comprehensive competitive improvement proposal for a spa and hotel located in Atotonilco el Grande, Hidalgo, Mexico. This will be achieved by integrating principles of responsible tourism and innovation strategies to address the identified gaps in its hotel classification and operational management. A case study methodology with a mixed-methods approach was applied, combining interviews, documentary analysis under NOM-010-TUR-2001 standars, and a benchmarking – based diagnosis. The diagnosis revealed a 58% compliance rate, highlighting critical weaknesses in organizational integration (45%) and significant gaps in digitalization, specialized training, accessibility, and sustainability. In response, a strategic plan comprising 30 innovation actions was formulated, classified into processes, organization, marketing, and products and services. The study concludes that regional tourism competitiveness is based on the synchronization of regulatory compliance, technology, and sustainability. The proposal positions benchmarking and systemic innovation as central tools for the transition towards a responsible and resilient business model, offering an applicable and essential framework for the growth of tourism SMEs in the current landscape.

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Author Biographies

Miguel Bonifacio Chulim Lemus, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo

Doctoral candidate in Management and Innovation of Tourism and Gastronomic Products and Research Professor. His main academic contributions and recognitions include: specialist in Mexican cuisine and dining room service; internationally certified in hygienic food handling by ServSafe. He received recognition from CONACyTE, Hidalgo, for the lectures “The Foundation of Ancient and Contemporary Food” and “Nutritional and Vegetarian Cuisine.” He was also awarded recognition for completing the Workshop “Training of Peer Evaluators of Academic Programs,” as well as a certificate for participating in the Curricular Redesign Process of the Gastronomy Educational Program at ICEA. Additionally, he received recognition as a speaker at the Fifth State Research Meeting of ICEA and for his participation in the Seminar on Economic and Administrative Research.

As a full instructor of the course Dining Room Service, he has also taught disciplinary courses such as European Cuisine I and II, Oriental Cuisine, Vegetarian Cuisine, and Canapés and Appetizers.

Aura Paulina Flores Barrera, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo

Professor and Researcher in the Bachelor’s Degree in Gastronomy at the Institute of Economic and Administrative Sciences (ICEA) of the Autonomous University of the State of Hidalgo (UAEH). She served as Coordinator of the Gastronomy Program from 2012 to 2015, leading initiatives to strengthen its educational quality, and later as Coordinator of the Tourism Program from 2017 to 2022, a period during which she enhanced academic training and program outreach.

With a solid academic background, she holds a PhD in Administrative Sciences from the Autonomous University of Tlaxcala, a Master’s Degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management from the Swiss Institute of Gastronomy and Hospitality (Puebla), and a Bachelor’s Degree in Gastronomy from the Culinary Institute of Mexico (Puebla). She is also a Candidate Member of the National Research System (SNI), a distinction that reflects her outstanding research trajectory.

She is recognized for her commitment to human resource development, scientific production, collegial work, and external collaboration. As a faculty member, she teaches key subjects such as Restaurant Management and Culinary Foundations, advises capstone projects and tutorials, and leads specialized courses in sustainability, leadership, and preparation for the EGEL examination.

In research, she has contributed to projects such as “Competitiveness Analysis of SMEs in the Restaurant Industry: The Case of Hidalgo” and has published relevant works, including indexed journal articles such as “Effect of Strategic Planning on the Competitiveness of Women-Led SMEs” and presentations at international conferences in France, Spain, and Turkey (2023–2024). Her doctoral dissertation, which addresses the competitiveness of restaurant SMEs in Hidalgo, received First Place in the Thirty-Seventh National Award of Zone 5 Centro Sur by ANFECA (2022).

In collegial work, she currently presides over the Gastronomy Academic Committee (2024), organizes forums and courses, and participates in external collaborations as a member of the Latin American Network for Gender Studies (RELEG) in 2025, the Research Network “Competitiveness of Mexican MSMEs” since 2018, and the Linkage Committee of the Instituto Campechano (2023–2025).

Dr. Aura Paulina is a key figure in strengthening the academic and scientific development of the Gastronomy program at UAEH.

Jorge Alberto Esponda Pérez, Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas

Bachelor’s degree in Gastronomy from the Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas (UNICACH), a Master’s degree in Pedagogy, and a PhD in High Management and Business. He is accredited as an evaluator in the labor competency standard for food and beverage preparation. His continuing education includes several specialized diplomas, notably in Curriculum Evaluation and Design; Evaluation and Accreditation of Higher Education Programs (BUAP); and Cuisines and Food Culture in Mexico: Social Uses, Meanings, and Ritual Contexts (ENAH).

He has held significant academic positions, including serving as Coordinator of the Gastronomy Academic Program at UNICACH (2017–2019) and as Academic Secretary of the Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences (February 2021 to May 2025). He has more than ten years of teaching experience at the upper-secondary, undergraduate, and graduate levels.

His professional trajectory includes being a member of the research group Gastronomic Heritage and Sociocultural Food Studies; a peer evaluator for the Social Sciences and Administrative Committee of CIEES; a member of the International Network for Research and Studies in Gastronomy (RIIEG); and a member of the University Researchers Network A.C.

His recognitions include his incorporation into the State Research System as a Category I Young Researcher (2021–2023), his designation as an Honorary Researcher by the Institute of Science, Technology, and Innovation of the State of Chiapas (2023–2026), and his distinction as a Candidate in the National Research System (SNI) for the 2023–2026 period.

In academic and scientific activities, he has authored and co-authored books, book chapters, and indexed scientific articles. He has also participated as a speaker and instructor in national and international conferences, and has served as director and reviewer of undergraduate and graduate theses. He is currently developing a research project in the field of Social Sciences, with a focus on foresight and sustainable development, centered on the study of food, cultural, and economic practices that contribute to sustainable development in municipalities in Chiapas.

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