Design Thinking as an alternative for developing tourism solutions

Abstract

 Innovation has become an essential element of organizational strategy, especially since industrial development and the resulting increase in competition. An organization that understands innovation as a critical success factor must constantly seek management methods and tools to guide innovation. Design thinking is one such tool that has proved effective in searching for innovative processes. Management in the tourism sector involves planning, coordinating and supervising various operations and services to meet travellers' needs and ensure positive travel experiences. This research aimed to analyze the concept and application of design thinking in tourism. The methodology used was exploratory with a qualitative approach, using a bibliographical study and a systematic literature analysis. Design thinking is a recent tool, especially in tourism, which can be applied in various ways and multiple sectors. By placing the user at the centre of the process, design thinking can create more meaningful, innovative and sustainable tourism experiences, making it possible to add value to the proposals to be implemented, as they are thought out and structured in a participatory way.