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The purpose of this paper is to provide an understanding of the accessibility laws currently in effect in the United Arab Emirates and, specifically, Dubai. Further, it recommends methods of integrating accessible hospitality and tourism in Dubai with core legal and ethical direction in preparation for EXPO 2020.

Review of current legislation and analysis of interpretation by industry providers was used to illustrate the impact on the current accessibility environment in Dubai and to recommend a revised regulatory scheme.

The paper explains how legal and ethical issues have influenced the planning and building of 5 star hotels in Dubai, and offers recommendations for amendments and additions to the region’s current laws that address needs of people with disabilities (PwD).

Little research has been conducted in the region concerning the rights and needs of PwD. The paper significantly contributes by demonstrating how an ethical and legal framework will address the needs of PwD thereby aiding in Dubai’s successful hosting of EXPO 2020. This contribution is notably opportune in view of the anticipated changes in applicable legislation.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the challenges and benefits of hiring individuals with special needs in the hospitality industry in Dubai; understand management, colleague and customer perspectives concerning the integration of individuals with special needs in the workforce; emphasize the need for awareness, communication and training when introducing special needs employees to hotel properties in Dubai; recognize laws and policies in respect to introducing the special needs workforce in hotels in Dubai; and classify the requirements needed to facilitate accessibility and integration of special needs employees in the workforce.

Qualitative research was conducted to better comprehend the benefits, challenges, policies/legalities and perceptions developed when considering employment practices of individuals with disabilities. Interviews with HR directors/managers in hotels in Dubai were conducted using a snowball sampling approach.

This study suggests that hotels in Dubai must increase their efforts to accommodate the special needs market through the provision of accessible areas, changes in perceptions and enactment of coherent laws and policies to prepare for the inflow of disabled tourists during Expo 2020. Further, that these efforts can be better accomplished by employment of individuals with special needs.

High turnover costs and shortages of labor in the hospitality industry have led to the need for the non-traditional labor force to fill the demand created by the upcoming Expo 2020. As the UAE won the bid for Expo 2020, there has been early construction of hotels to adapt to the increased demand in jobs by and influx of tourists including individuals with disabilities.

This paper aims to provide an overview of how a Dubai-based higher education institution in hospitality management has leveraged the enabling macro-environment for building innovation-centric courses in hospitality pedagogy. The policy-level initiatives focusing on innovation adopted by the UAE, and Dubai, in particular, are analyzed along with their impact on the higher education landscape.

An exploratory research design with an experimental component based on iterative approach has been adopted in this paper.

The synthesis of the exploratory analysis with the outcome of the experiment for developing innovation-centric courses and assessments which integrates elements of sustainability underscores the necessity for a scalable roadmap for developing an innovation-driven ecosystem. Implications for stakeholders in deploying the proposed roadmap are discussed.

The experience curated from the design development and delivery of innovation-focused courses with the mandated framework in a specific geography (in this case Dubai, UAE) attests to the originality. The research adds value by proposing an implementable roadmap for stakeholders to foster an innovation-driven socio-economic ecosystem that encompasses elements of sustainability.

The purpose of this research is to determine whether instruction would be welcomed by instant messaging (IM)/chat users, whether instruction is possible in this medium, whether it can be effectively provided, and if the use of co‐browsing enhances learning.

Two studies were conducted in which IM/chat reference transcripts were analyzed and patron surveys collected. This research paper compares results from these studies, the first based on use of text‐only IM software, the second using commercial chat software with a co‐browse feature.

Findings indicate that patrons welcome instruction, whether they ask for it or not, and are satisfied with chat/IM as an instructional medium. Librarians usually provide instruction, though they are more likely to do so if patrons ask for it, directly or indirectly. Co‐browsing was used little and did not increase the amount of instruction provided. Patron question format had an impact on the likelihood of co‐browsing. Despite a high rate of technical difficulties, co‐browsing was very well received by survey respondents.

Findings suggest more training on the importance of instruction in virtual reference is needed.

Providing instruction via reference is an established practice at the physical reference desk, yet few studies of instruction in virtual reference have been conducted and none on co‐browsing as an instructional tool. This study addresses the need for research on instruction in the virtual reference environment.

The purpose of this paper is to determine how luxury hotel operators in Dubai interpret the current disability laws in the region, and further how they currently provide accessible accommodation to disabled tourists.

This study draws on data collected using document analysis of UAE Federal Law 29 (English translation), Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing Hotel Classification Manual, some five star hotels’ internal guidelines and semi-structured interviews with 12 hotel representatives.

The majority of participants were unaware of existing statutory law addressing the rights and needs of the disabled community in Dubai. Despite their perceived absence of a legal framework, tendency toward provision of accessible accommodations was prevalent. Uniformly, the participants focused exclusively on tourists with physical disabilities.

There is a need for detailed and comprehensive legislation protecting the rights and needs of disabled tourists, particularly in view of Dubai’s successful bid to host Expo 2020. This need will, no doubt, be fulfilled in light of the recent announcement that Dubai will enact its own disability law intended to make the emirate fully accessible to persons with disabilities.

Research into the rights and needs of the disabled community has been largely overlooked in the Middle East, an oversight which is due for correction by virtue of an anticipated increase in tourism numbers in Dubai. The opportunity exists for enactment of model legislation taking into account the needs of disabled tourists, expectations of local industry, realities of the marketplace and regional cultural influence.

This paper aims to provide answers to the question: “What are the key innovative strategies needed for future tourism in the world?” At the outset, this paper redefines the word “innovation” in the context of the hospitality and tourism industry. It then captures the essence of 13 proceeding papers on innovative initiatives in 17 countries and presents concluding remarks to this Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes (WHATT) theme issue on innovation (v. 11 n. 2, 2019).

This paper draws from a wide spectrum of innovation types, concepts, strategies, suggestions and solutions written by 24 authors, who cumulatively have valuable and diverse experience in managing, operating, teaching, researching and consulting on innovation.

Innovation is relevant to all macro- and micro-level aspects of all industries. In conclusion, to identify common elements in all 13 papers, the author presents a shorter definition: “Innovation is the art of implementing new ideas to improve productivity, products and services, while enhancing customer satisfaction, revenues and profitability”. In addition, he emphasizes that innovation needs vision, mission and passion!

This research contributes to the emerging research theme of innovation in the hospitality and tourism industry and extends/re-defines the word: “innovation”.

There are significant practical implications in terms of industry approaches to use innovative strategies across the world.

Readers who are interested in international best practices of hospitality and tourism would benefit from this paper.

This concluding paper aims to review the contribution made by this theme issue to the body of knowledge on Dubai as a host city for Expo 2020 and the impact of such mega events overall on the host destinations.

A content analysis of the contributing articles selected for this theme issue was undertaken.

The summary paper highlights the key takeaways relating to Expo 2020 Dubai that will help inform policy making and decision-making for stakeholders in Dubai’s economy.

Retaining and nurturing the vibrancy of Dubai’s cosmopolitan and diverse socio-economic landscape in the run-up to and after the Expo are as much an opportunity as they are a challenge. The outcomes and recommendations emanating from the papers provide stakeholders with the tools to consider and mitigate risks.

This theme issue makes a significant scholarly contribution towards understanding the dynamics of Dubai as a destination on the verge of hosting a mega event and captures the zeitgeist of the pre-event planning and post-event strategies in “connecting minds, creating the future”, which is the theme of Expo 2020.

Definitions of entrepreneurial marketing (EM) abound. Unfortunately, a consensus definition and a unified description of the construct still eludes scholars in the field, as multiple frameworks of EM have been proposed without agreement on which is the most valid and what variables are critical to an EM framework. The purpose of this paper is to provide a more comprehensive definition and framework of EM.

Following a review of the extant literature pertaining to EM, as well as a brief review of the relevant literature regarding entrepreneurship in general, the authors identified a set of variables common and critical to this marketing approach. The authors then examined the historical case of Lillian McMurry, the founder of Trumpet Records, to provide a historical example of EM. Utilizing an abductive approach, the authors repeatedly analyzed the case alongside the salient literature.

Through a methodology of systematic combining, the authors were able to advance a more comprehensive framework and definition of EM.

The primary limitation of most single case studies is the issue of generalizability. However, the authors accept the trade-off between limited generalizability and the conceptual understanding that this historical case provided.

The proposal of a comprehensive definition and process framework of the relatively nascent construct of EM, supported by a historical case example, provides a solid base upon which future research can investigate the nuances of the variables critical to this emerging marketing approach.