How can hotels create sustainable competitive advantages? A resource-based view

The hospitality industry is facing tough competition due to new actors (i.e. online travel agencies, comparison websites, etc.). Furthermore, Covid-19 has made it worse with travel restrictions and health measures. This study aims to identify the needs and expectations of hotel guests in a post-pandemic context, and how hotels can acquire and manage resources in a strategic way. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was employed to assess the importance of 9 hotel attributes via pairwise comparison. The data were collected from 537 guests who stayed in 3- and 4-star hotels in Paris from April to June 2021. In addition, in-depth interviews of 19 hotel managers were conducted to gain insights into how they are acquiring and managing their resources. Theoretical and practical implications, and future research directions are presented. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.