Anne-Mette Hjalager

Repairing innovation defectiveness in tourism.

Abstract Over the past couple of years, the term “innovation” has increasingly been used to describe the development behaviour of tourism enterprises, destinations and the tourism sector. This article discusses various definitions. Examples of major changes in the tourism sector are given within the framework of a model that distinguishes between regular, niche, revolutionary, architectural innovations. It is stated that the tourism industry per se is not as crucial for innovations as the supplying and regulating sectors. Accordingly, policies aiming at innovation in tourism should not uniformly focus on the industry itself, but take into account the driving forces of other business sectors and the public sector.

Food for tourists?determinants of an image

Eating is a physical necessity, but catering services and food image are also very important ingredients of cultural tourism. Food and tourism are increasingly being combined, e.g. in agri-tourism, wine tours and the sale of food products as souvenirs. However, as this paper illustrates, the development and standards of food for tourists are not determined uniformly by tourism policies, but more significantly by national economic, agricultural and food policies. A comparison between Denmark and Italy illustrates core elements in food cultures. Particularly in Denmark, food production is a major economic activity, and the power of the agricultural and food processing industries has in many cases compromised the quality image. In Italy, on the other hand, food policies and traditions, which give a high priority to freshness, intrinsically allow consumers to stay in control of food to a much larger extent than in Denmark. In both countries, a concentration of tourists in space and time tends to result in a decline of food profile. The paper concludes that only residents are in a position to put a more permanent pressure on food suppliers, and only if they are given the appropriate instruments. Further improvement of the food heritage in both countries (but especially in Denmark) will have to include a reconsideration, and probably changes, in food policies in more global terms. Copyright

Agricultural diversification into tourism: Evidence of a European Community development programme

Abstract Based on the empirical evidence provided by an evaluation study of the EU Objective 5b programme measures ∗ for the expansion of rural tourism, this article discusses the impact of rural tourism on agricultural holdings. It is shown that the financial returns most often do not measure up either to the expectations of the politicians or to that of the farmers. In some respects rural tourism contributes positively to the innovation of the tourist product since its small scale, ‘green’ issues and special facilities differentiate the product from others. But the unleashing of real potential is hampered by the fact that farmers tend to give priority to traditional agriculture and by the fact that industrialized agriculture is not easily combined with the commodifying of agricultural traditions for tourism. The community level inter-organizational innovations which are designed to ensure the marketing and quality control of rural tourism are taking place too slowly. Cooperative efforts in the field of tourism are hampered by the fact that the organizations have not been logically placed in the value chain. This article introduces measures to improve the inter-organizational set-up, suggesting that this is essential if rural tourism is to be launched on any large scale.

Innovation patterns in sustainable tourism: An analytical typology

Abstract Innovation in tourism is a matter of limited research and political consideration. Nevertheless, an increased environmental concern advanced by consumers, local inhabitants and authorities provokes innovative action within the tourism industry. This article offers a typology of innovations related to the environment. The following types of innovation can be distinguished: product innovations, classical process innovations, process innovations in information handling, management innovations and institutional innovations. The article concludes that innovations are predominantly launched as part of defensive strategies by the tourism industry. In addition, new products or processes are often exclusively a result of innovative efforts undertaken in other branches, for instance suppliers, causing a certain delay of endogenous innovation in the core tourism industry.

Tourism Destinations and the Concept of Industrial Districts

This paper identifies the main characteristics of industrial districts as interdependence of firms; flexible firm boundaries; cooperative competition; trust in sustained collaboration; and a ‘community culture’ with supportive public policies. In spite of the dominance of SMEs and local interdependence, and in spite of the spatial significance of tourism destinations, this type of firm has not been analysed systematically using the concepts and methods of industrial districts. The comparability between tourism destinations and industrial districts is less obvious, especially as regards governance structures. This is also true of the intensified vertical division of labour between regions delivering services to tourists and regions developing such services. However, new trends in consumer preferences, technological developments and environmental prerequisites make the development of some district properties more likely to emerge in tourism destinations in the future. This paper suggests a number of key issues for a research programme.

Tourism and the environment: the innovation connection.

Increased environmental awareness is a driving force for innovation in the tourist industry. New green products and services are emerging, and being combined with measures such as recycling, energy savings etc. The rationale for the tourist industry is to stay in business and to gain competitive advantages through innovative behaviour. This articles reviews public policy instruments for sustainable tourism development. An important and not always sufficiently envisaged side-effect of the policies and their implementation is the occurrence of innovations in the tourism sector. Types of innovation are identified, and the article concludes that not all policy instruments are equally efficient.

User-driven Innovation in Tourism—A Review of Methodologies

This literature study reviews user-driven innovation and establishes a typology of its forms in a tourism context. Sixteen methods are distinguishable. They comprise situations where users are actively involved and methods where information is collected without direct user involvement. The nature and intensity of the dialogue between companies and their customers are addressed. Drawing on this existing research, the article concludes that there is still little comprehensive follow-up on user-driven innovation in tourism and its impact on quality improvements and assurance. Key areas for future studies are identified.

Cultural Tourism Innovation Systems – The Roskilde Festival

Abstract It is only recently that the “innovation systems approach” has become a framework for micro‐economic research in new institutional economics in tourism‐related businesses and activities. There is still much to be explored. Cultural tourism phenomena constitute noteworthy objects for illustrative case studies, embedded as they are in business as well as maintaining relations with public governance structures and voluntary organizations. Since 1971, Roskilde Festival (Denmark) has developed its role as a leading element in an emerging cultural innovation system. Festival organizers maintain long‐term, dense and multi‐faceted relations. Funds from the (non‐profit) festival are efficiently channelled into cultural and sports facilities, enhancing the attractiveness of the region. To keep ahead in the festival market, innovators in the field of managerial systems, technologies and services are deliberately invited to use the grounds as test benches for new ideas. The concept of innovation systems allows for a better understanding of the complex driving forces and mechanisms that mediate the conditions, the extent and the outcomes of innovative behaviour. Roskilde is a not static event. Since 2001 especially, wider ranging organizational structures have been constructed and politically enforced with the aim of nurturing spin‐offs, and including strong representation within the educational and research sectors.

100 Innovations That Transformed Tourism

This article provides a systematized and analytically concise collection of 100 innovations that were not specifically invented for tourism but nevertheless affected tourism to a significant extent. The article is a contribution to tourism history, and it introduces a new facet of tourism innovation research. Scientific and technological progress facilitates the development of tourism, but often with some delay. The trickling down depends on institutional changes and absorptive capacity in the tourism sector. The impacts contributed mainly to the social and physical efficacy of tourists, including reduction of risks and improved mobility and accessibility. Innovations also laid the ground for entirely new touristic experiences. Numerous innovations were implemented to increase the productivity and performance of tourism enterprises. The article provides examples of innovations that led to the opening of new destinations. Institutional and informational innovations proliferated into critical modernization. A deeper comprehension of dissemination patterns can be useful toward future tourism innovation policies.

Consumerism and Sustainable Tourism

Abstract This article recognises the immense and growing interest for the development of a sustainable tourism. However, it demonstrates a gap between general awareness and preferences on the one hand, and the practices and behaviour of tourists and tourist industries on the other hand. The constraints for the development of a consumerism in the fields of tourism are addressed in the article. A particular emphasis is put on a lack of appropriate institutional frameworks that provide individual tourists with reliable information and co-ordinate their purchasing power in order to enhance the issues of environmental SUStainabiHty.