Community-driven hospitality: a boutique hotel’s model for sustainable growth

A boutique hotel in the Medina of Tunis demonstrates that sustainable hospitality can drive both profitability and community revitalization by integrating local hiring, informal supplier sourcing, and immersive cultural programming. This model, rooted in heritage tourism, reinvests profits locally while fostering guest engagement and staff retention. Unlike top-down industry standards, this approach emerges from within informal economies and preservation efforts, offering actionable strategies for boutique hotels in culturally rich or under-resourced urban areas. The study, based on fieldwork and practitioner collaboration, provides real-world guidance to balance profit with place-based impact.

Kelepouris, C., & Ben Gacem, L. (2025). Community-driven hospitality: a boutique hotel’s model for sustainable growth. International Hospitality Review, 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1108/ihr-07-2025-0071