Resources, such as knowledge and skills (operant resources (OR)), are the foundation stone for competitive advantage (Vargo and Lusch, 2016) and when integrated and exchanged with one another provides a high generated value. Value co-creation (VCC) is therefore the process of integrating and transforming resources that require interaction and imply various network actors (Lusch and Vargo, 2006). In this regard, the greater amount of OR a firm possess the greater is its capacity to cocreate value which enhances its competitive advantage. Resources are what actors can draw on for support (Lusch and Vargo, 2014), and they are generally classified as operand (i.e., tangible, static resources, such as physical objects) or operant (i.e., usually intangible, dynamic resources that can create value) (Arnould et al., 2006; Constantin and Lusch, 1994; Vargo and Lusch, 2008). OR are not exhaustible but are rather scalable, re-usable, renewable, and creatable, and they are applied in support of the service supply (Lusch et al., 2007). According to FitzPatrick et al. (2013), intellectual capital (IC) can reflect the kind of OR that a firm can use to create value and innovation. IC is a source of value propositions that allow firms to outstand competitors and enhance firms’ financial performance (FitzPatrick et al., 2013) when embed in a VCC network (Tynan and McKechnie, 2009; Vargo and Lusch, 2016). The IC generally contributes for the firms’ growth opportunities and value creation (Liu, 2017) and therefore it is considered the core concept of strategic resources to assure firms competitive advantage (Liu, 2017). IC can contribute to answer the changes in customer needs, as well as to respond to the market opportunities (Liu, 2017). Thus, IC has a relevant role for value creation and innovation in the tourism sector, which is a grouping of a variety of interconnected industries, such hotels, accommodation, lodging, transportation, food and leverage industry. There is no tourism product or tourism destination without interconnection of all actors (Macchiavelli, 2001). Previous studies indicate that the profitability of small and mediumsized (SME) hotels is sensitive to several factors, such as experience, skills, education level of the employees and owners/managers, volatility of revenues, and capital structure decisions (Sharma and Upneja, 2005; Poorani and Smith, 1995; Kaufman et al., 1996; Romer, 1986). An enhanced IC can act as an internal factor that contributes to firms’ performance and competitiveness. However, there are few studies focusing on IC as key factor of innovation, competitiveness, and performance in the hotel industry (Bontis et al., 2015; FitzPatrick et al., 2013). Furthermore, according to Marzo and Scarpino (2016), the study of IC in small and medium-sized enterprises has not deserved much attention of researchers. This study attempts to fill these gaps by analysing the impact of IC on the financial performance of SME hotels. The synergetic value of IC is rooted in the interaction between its different components (Bontis et al., 2015; Sydler et al., 2014), i.e., human capital (employees’ talent, skills and expertise), structural capital (organizational capabilities, culture, processes, patents, copyrights, trademarks, databases) and relational capital (creation and maintenance of relationships with stakeholders).