The integration of a Swedish minority in the hotel business culture: the case of Riva del Sole

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore whether the integration of minorities into the hotel industry stimulates innovation by promoting competitiveness in the tourism industry. Design/methodology/approach – The analysis uses the co‐evolutionary perspective of firms and the environment: firms co‐evolve with the environment in the search for competitive advantage. This paper follows the qualitative methodology of case study research. Findings – Empirical evidence demonstrates that the Riva del Sole company has been able to grasp the tangible and intangible factors that distinguish the multifaceted Tuscan territory, and enhance them through its own business strategy, transforming them into a competitive advantage. Research limitations/implications – The interpretation of the survey is limited by being the observation of a single unit of analysis. Further improvements could result from the use of statistical models of analysis results, the use of analysis of information which emerged from the interviews on the strategic behavior of local actors and clients. Practical implications – The innovative offering of Swedish minority entrepreneurship (Riva del Sole) was the offering of a hotel service articulated on various inhabitable units that comprised the hotel and which were nourished by the typical resources of the territory, offering a hospitality service strong in experiential content and rich in local flavor. Originality/value – The paper offers a novel approach (co‐evolutionary perspective between firms and the environment) to see and understand newly‐emerging dynamics in the tourism business sector.