From Small Firms to Beautiful Destinations : Engineering Collaborative Networks for Destination Development

• Collaborative networks provide a viable means for destination management organisations (DMOs) to engage small enterprises in collaborative destination development, and may offer a means to steer destinations toward small enterprises in collaborative destination development, and may offer a means to steer destinations toward sustainability. However, the use of collaborative networks in destination development remains under-studied. This paper reports on an exploratory qualitative study into a gastronomy network set up by a Destination Management Organization (DMO) in Southern Denmark. Based on ten semi-structured interviews the study examines the relationship between individual and collective goals in the network. The study illustrates that a DMO can occupy a powerful position a collaborative tourism network, providing scope to steer destination development; however, this hinges upon sufficient alignment between individual and collective goals, and this in turn requires insight into the individual goals driving actors’ participation. Building on the tripartite classification of Munksgaard (2014), the study formulates an analytical framework to facilitate analysis of actors’ goals in collaborative tourism networks; and thus contributes a conceptual frame for research and practice.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Annan samhällsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Other Social Sciences (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Collaboration

Collaborative networks

Destination management

Sustainability

Sustainable tourism

Denmark

Tourism

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)