Emotional Intelligence, Leadership and Human Resources Empowerment in Luxury Hotels: The Case of Athens

In recent years, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a noticeable rise in demand for luxury urban hospitality services. Luxury hospitality is not solely about costly offerings; it emphasises creating authentic, personalised, and wellness-focused experiences. Successful luxury hotel operations depend on emotional intelligence, supportive leadership, and HR empowerment. This research aims to identify the variables positively associated with these factors in metropolitan hotels and to propose HRM policies to enhance them. Conducted from March to May 2025 in Athens, Greece, with a sample of 220 luxury five-star hotel employees, the research utilised Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses. The Exploratory Factor Analysis was performed using the method of Principal Components Extraction, while the Confirmatory Factor Analysis employed Structural Equation Modelling. The analysis of the research findings highlighted specific variables that are positively correlated with the development of the emotional intelligence, supportive leadership, and HR empowerment needed to deliver luxury services in metropolitan destination hotels. This paper provides validated Likert-type scales and practical insights for developing these essential workplace factors in luxury hotels, ultimately improving customer service and employee support.