Document Type : Original Research

Authors

• Haider Rabiei ¹
• Mohamadreza Alisabah ²

¹ Professor at the University of Tehran and financial, economic and investment strategies consultant

² University of Tehran

Abstract

The tourism and hospitality industry, due to its service-oriented nature, demand volatility, high proportion of operating costs, and the need for rapid responses to market changes, requires efficient information systems to support managerial decision-making. In this context, management accounting, by providing both financial and non-financial information, is regarded as one of the key instruments for planning, control, performance evaluation, and optimal resource allocation in this industry. The purpose of this study is to explain the role of management accounting in improving the financial and managerial performance of the tourism and hospitality industry through reliance on the theoretical literature and prior studies. In terms of purpose, this research is applied; in terms of method, it is a library-based study with a descriptive–analytical approach. The data were collected through the review and analysis of authoritative sources, including specialized books, scholarly articles, professional reports, and documents related to management accounting, tourism, and hospitality, and were examined using thematic analysis and conceptual inference.
The findings of the literature review indicate that management accounting, through the use of instruments such as budgeting, costing, cost–benefit analysis, cost classification and control, profitability evaluation, and capital investment decision-making techniques, plays a significant role in enhancing information transparency, improving the quality of decision-making, controlling operating costs, and increasing financial efficiency in firms operating in the tourism and hospitality industry. The review of the literature also shows that weaknesses in information systems, lack of specialized skills, complexity of cost structures, and environmental fluctuations are among the most important barriers to the effective use of management accounting in this industry. Accordingly, it can be concluded that the development and implementation of modern management accounting systems, together with managerial training and the strengthening of information infrastructures, can provide the foundation for better decision-making, higher productivity, stronger competitive advantage, and more sustainable performance in the tourism and hospitality industry.

Keywords

• Management accounting
• tourism industry
• hospitality
• cost control
• managerial decision-making
• performance evaluation

Main Subjects

• Accounting
• Audit
• Financial Management
• Financial Engineering
• Interdisciplinary with Accounting