A Literature Review on the Financial Determinants of Hotel Default

Abstract

Empirical corporate failure studies focusing on specific economic activities are increasing in number, as this path can be a more precise investigation of default, although still there is a gap in the literature reviews at the sector level. The purpose of this study is to focus on the hotel sector and isolate the financial determinants linked to hotel default, as the approach of accounting-based models is the most frequent practice. To arrange the variety of outputs, a thorough design is applied based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, leading to 29 studies, which are further narrated, focusing mainly on the financial dimension. In addition, information on the study design is recorded in an aggregated table. The most frequent stylized results show that debt and liability measures increase the default risk, while measures of profitability and size in terms of total assets reduce the risk. This review addresses the calls for a sectoral focus and provides an up-to-date financial overview of hotel default assessments. It further aims to benefit academia, as it can act as a base for further development, as well as stakeholders involved in the financial sustainability of the hotel sector.