Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to review past literature on destination competitiveness policy, vision, identity and image and to offer a conceptual framework that relates to the concept of the territorial capital as the key component in the establishment of a shared and integrated vision for tourist destinations. The framework is tested on the case of Vinci, Tuscany, and the findings are based on a focus group and a SWOT analysis. The results reveal that the level of awareness policy makers and other primary stakeholders have in recognizing and adopting the territorial capital concept for the development of a shared, integrated and sustainable strategic vision is absent. The major contribution of this work is inter-disciplinary since, to our knowledge, is the first attempt to analyse an in-transition tourist area through the role of a geographical concept, the territorial capital, and to link it to destination policy and strategic management terms, such as vision, identity, and image.
Highlights
Tourism is a complex and growing sector that is recognized to be a key one for many advanced economies, especially in the European area
The EU tourism policy gives indications for facing new challenges, such as a growing global competition, sustainability concerns and evolving demand patterns for specific forms of tourism, so that the main themes EU countries and regions should focus on are Innovation and Competitiveness, Sustainable and Socially Responsible Tourism, and the Image of Europe as a tourist destination
After reviewing the literature on destination competitiveness policy and the role of vision, identity and image, we introduce the concept of the territorial capital, as recently presented in regional development studies, as the key component in the establishment of a shared and integrated vision
Summary
Tourism is a complex and growing sector that is recognized to be a key one for many advanced economies, especially in the European area. The EU tourism policy gives indications for facing new challenges, such as a growing global competition, sustainability concerns and evolving demand patterns for specific forms of tourism, so that the main themes EU countries and regions should focus on are Innovation and Competitiveness, Sustainable and Socially Responsible Tourism, and the Image of Europe as a tourist destination In this context, the EU strategic goals are the improvement of sustainability and competitiveness of the tourist sector, which should be supported by investing in activities concerning innovation, intangible and tangible assets, cultural tourism, high-quality destinations, ability to reach out to new publics and segments of the market, capacity of enterprises to exchange experiences, to network with other stakeholders and to create clusters
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