Table 1. Evaluating efficiency,... | Emerald Publishing

Table 1.

Evaluating efficiency, effectiveness and equity in economic, socio-cultural and environmental contexts within recreation, hospitality and tourism

Sector	Perspective	Optimization of the three components in service delivery: efficiency, effectiveness, equity			Supporting literature
Sector	Perspective	Economic context	Sociocultural context	Environmental context	Supporting literature
Recreation	Demand (customers)	Efficiency: Minimize regressive taxation	Efficiency: Collaboration with private providers in underserved areas	Efficiency: Incentives for sustainable behavior	Crompton and West (2008); Glover (1999); Guo et al. (2024); McCool (2022); Nowak and Heldt (2023); Pitas et al. (2022); Zhang and Xu, (2023)
		Effectiveness: Service quality evaluation	Effectiveness: User-friendly, intuitive service access	Effectiveness: Design of recreation-friendly environments
		Equity: Inclusive and accessible service options	Equity: Accessibility for vulnerable populations	Equity: Community engagement and access to environmental information
	Supply (management and local community)	Efficiency: Differential pricing (e.g. seasonality, residency)	Efficiency: Stakeholder collaboration networks	Efficiency: Natural revegetation and provision of eco-services	Guo et al. (2024); McCool (2022); Nowak and Heldt, (2023); Pitas et al. (2022); Zhang and Xu (2023)
		Effectiveness: Long-term resource sustainability	Effectiveness: Support for local festivals and cultural programs	Effectiveness: Balanced and sustained resource use
		Equity: Wage equity	Equity: Public–private partnerships and inclusive workforce representation	Equity: Environmental justice and participation in planning
Hospitality	Demand (customers)	Efficiency: Smart algorithms for dynamic pricing and preference matching	Efficiency: High service quality (empathy, responsiveness and servicescape design)	Efficiency: Incentives for eco-friendly guest behavior	Arbelo et al. (2025); Buhalis and Leung (2018); Cole et al. (2019); Gursoy and Maier (2023); Hsiao et al. (2014); Kerr and Wardana (2020); Kim et al. (2016); Singh et al. (2022); Wang (2025)
		Effectiveness: Flexible service packages	Effectiveness: Continuous service quality assessment	Effectiveness: Environmentally responsible service options
		Equity: Flexible payment and reservation options	Equity: Equal treatment across guest profiles	Equity: Opportunities to support local sustainability initiatives (e.g. donations)
	Supply (management and local community)	Efficiency: Use of representative samples, brand portfolio strategies, vertical integration	Efficiency: Technology integration that augments rather than replaces human labour	Efficiency: Pro-environmental business strategy	Arbelo et al. (2025); Gursoy and Maier (2023); Hsiao et al. (2014); Kim et al. (2024); Kuo et al. (2024); O’Connor (2020); Singh et al. (2022)
		Effectiveness: Brand audits, mystery shoppers, and online content monitoring	Effectiveness: Workforce diversity and cultural inclusion	Effectiveness: Implementation of green buildings and certified eco-lodging
		Equity: Wage equity across all demographic groups	Equity: Inclusive policies that support all individuals	Equity: Prioritization of local sourcing (e.g. food, materials)
Tourism	Demand (tourists)	Efficiency: Dynamic pricing mechanisms	Efficiency: Investment in basic infrastructure for underdeveloped communities	Efficiency: Encouragement of sustainable tourist behaviors	Abrate et al. (2019); Ayazlar (2014); Bayrakcı and Ozcan, (2023); Buhalis and Leung (2018); Franzoni (2015); Nekmahmud et al. (2022); Park et al. (2022); Passafaro (2020); Wong et al. (2021)
		Effectiveness: Customizable and flexible travel packages	Effectiveness: Simplified, accessible service interfaces	Effectiveness: Smart resource use in destination design
		Equity: Use of multi-access passes for broad inclusion	Equity: Inclusive access for marginalized and underserved travelers	Equity: Community participation and access to environmental planning
	Supply (management and local community)	Efficiency: Economies of scale in operations	Efficiency: Coordinated stakeholder networks and service quality assurance	Efficiency: Pro-environmental policies and use of natural eco-services	Bayrakcı and Ozcan (2023); Cockburn-Wootten and McIntosh (2020); Cole (2006); Franzoni (2015); Gasparini and Mariotti (2023); Modica et al. (2018); Ochonogor and Amah (2021); Park et al. (2022); Wong et al. (2021)
		Effectiveness: Capacity management (social and environmental)	Effectiveness: Support for cultural tourism initiatives	Effectiveness: Sustainable resource management
		Equity: Inclusive wages and accommodation for people with disabilities	Equity: Local hiring, representation and promotion of underrepresented businesses	Equity: Equitable access to environmental benefits and protections

Sector	Perspective	Optimization of the three components in service delivery: efficiency, effectiveness, equity			Supporting literature
Sector	Perspective	Economic context	Sociocultural context	Environmental context	Supporting literature
Recreation	Demand (customers)	Efficiency: Minimize regressive taxation	Efficiency: Collaboration with private providers in underserved areas	Efficiency: Incentives for sustainable behavior	Crompton and West (2008); Glover (1999); Guo et al. (2024); McCool (2022); Nowak and Heldt (2023); Pitas et al. (2022); Zhang and Xu, (2023)
		Effectiveness: Service quality evaluation	Effectiveness: User-friendly, intuitive service access	Effectiveness: Design of recreation-friendly environments
		Equity: Inclusive and accessible service options	Equity: Accessibility for vulnerable populations	Equity: Community engagement and access to environmental information
	Supply (management and local community)	Efficiency: Differential pricing (e.g. seasonality, residency)	Efficiency: Stakeholder collaboration networks	Efficiency: Natural revegetation and provision of eco-services	Guo et al. (2024); McCool (2022); Nowak and Heldt, (2023); Pitas et al. (2022); Zhang and Xu (2023)
		Effectiveness: Long-term resource sustainability	Effectiveness: Support for local festivals and cultural programs	Effectiveness: Balanced and sustained resource use
		Equity: Wage equity	Equity: Public–private partnerships and inclusive workforce representation	Equity: Environmental justice and participation in planning
Hospitality	Demand (customers)	Efficiency: Smart algorithms for dynamic pricing and preference matching	Efficiency: High service quality (empathy, responsiveness and servicescape design)	Efficiency: Incentives for eco-friendly guest behavior	Arbelo et al. (2025); Buhalis and Leung (2018); Cole et al. (2019); Gursoy and Maier (2023); Hsiao et al. (2014); Kerr and Wardana (2020); Kim et al. (2016); Singh et al. (2022); Wang (2025)
		Effectiveness: Flexible service packages	Effectiveness: Continuous service quality assessment	Effectiveness: Environmentally responsible service options
		Equity: Flexible payment and reservation options	Equity: Equal treatment across guest profiles	Equity: Opportunities to support local sustainability initiatives (e.g. donations)
	Supply (management and local community)	Efficiency: Use of representative samples, brand portfolio strategies, vertical integration	Efficiency: Technology integration that augments rather than replaces human labour	Efficiency: Pro-environmental business strategy	Arbelo et al. (2025); Gursoy and Maier (2023); Hsiao et al. (2014); Kim et al. (2024); Kuo et al. (2024); O’Connor (2020); Singh et al. (2022)
		Effectiveness: Brand audits, mystery shoppers, and online content monitoring	Effectiveness: Workforce diversity and cultural inclusion	Effectiveness: Implementation of green buildings and certified eco-lodging
		Equity: Wage equity across all demographic groups	Equity: Inclusive policies that support all individuals	Equity: Prioritization of local sourcing (e.g. food, materials)
Tourism	Demand (tourists)	Efficiency: Dynamic pricing mechanisms	Efficiency: Investment in basic infrastructure for underdeveloped communities	Efficiency: Encouragement of sustainable tourist behaviors	Abrate et al. (2019); Ayazlar (2014); Bayrakcı and Ozcan, (2023); Buhalis and Leung (2018); Franzoni (2015); Nekmahmud et al. (2022); Park et al. (2022); Passafaro (2020); Wong et al. (2021)
		Effectiveness: Customizable and flexible travel packages	Effectiveness: Simplified, accessible service interfaces	Effectiveness: Smart resource use in destination design
		Equity: Use of multi-access passes for broad inclusion	Equity: Inclusive access for marginalized and underserved travelers	Equity: Community participation and access to environmental planning
	Supply (management and local community)	Efficiency: Economies of scale in operations	Efficiency: Coordinated stakeholder networks and service quality assurance	Efficiency: Pro-environmental policies and use of natural eco-services	Bayrakcı and Ozcan (2023); Cockburn-Wootten and McIntosh (2020); Cole (2006); Franzoni (2015); Gasparini and Mariotti (2023); Modica et al. (2018); Ochonogor and Amah (2021); Park et al. (2022); Wong et al. (2021)
		Effectiveness: Capacity management (social and environmental)	Effectiveness: Support for cultural tourism initiatives	Effectiveness: Sustainable resource management
		Equity: Inclusive wages and accommodation for people with disabilities	Equity: Local hiring, representation and promotion of underrepresented businesses	Equity: Equitable access to environmental benefits and protections

Source(s): Developed by the authors