INNOVATIONS IN SERVICES BASED ON THE EXAMPLE OF TOURISM

A well-functioning service sector is a key to the overall economic performance of any country and to the welfare of its citizens, but the role of innovation in services has been underappreciated for a long time. In the common view the service sector is perceived as less innovative compared to the manufacturing sector and, therefore, characterized as being of a lower level of technological development. Indeed, the service sector accounts for much less technological innovation because for its organisational and mar-keting innovations are of greater importance for this sector. The aim of the paper is to discuss the character of innovation in services, to identify the determinants and difficulties of innovation in services as well as innovation in tourism. It is much more difficult to analyse innovation in tourism and the types of innovation applied. It has been shown that the level of innovation in tourism is underestimated