Exploring Four Dimensional Sources of Destination Competitiveness

Improving the competitiveness of tourism destinations is crucial for driving local economies and achieving income growth. In light of this evidence, numerous government departments strive to assess specific factors that impact the competitiveness of tourism destinations, enabling them to issue appropriate new tourism policies that promote more effective forms of tourism business. Therefore, the primary objective of this paper is to investigate how various elements such as tourism resources, tourism support, tourism management, location conditions, and tourism demand influence regional competitiveness in the Northern Bay region of Guangxi Province in China. To accomplish this goal, an online survey was conducted to collect data from 420 visitors who had experienced North Gulf Tourism; yielding an impressive response rate of 95 percent. The findings reveal that all aforementioned factors—namely: Tourism resources, tourism support, tourism management, location conditions and tourist demand—significantly impact destination competitiveness. Notably though, it was found that among these factors influencing destination competitiveness; it is primarily determined by effective local-level management (β = 0.345). Following closely behind are tourist demand (β = 0.133) as the second most influential factor affecting destination competitiveness; followed by location conditions (β = 0.116) ranking third; then comes tourist support (β = 0.03) as fourth in line impacting destination competitiveness; finally with least impact being exerted by available tourist resources (β = 0.016). Consequently, highlighting that regional competitiveness within Guangxi’s Northern Bay area predominantly hinges on efficient local-level management practices thus strongly recommending relevant authorities formulate novel work policies aimed at enhancing levels of local-level competitive advantage within the realm of regional touristic offerings.

Competitiveness is a key concept studied across various disciplines and has become increasingly important in today's dynamic environment. Indeed, the term "competitiveness" first emerged in economics in the late 1970s, and its relevance to tourism began in the early 1990s. Since then, tourism destination competitiveness has become a vital research topic. Currently, the tourism industry faces significant challenges in enhancing destination competitiveness in the post-pandemic realm. Therefore, improving destination competitiveness, with its assurance of prosperity for people, is a major focus of tourism policy discussions.This paper aims to improve the understanding of tourism destination competitiveness (TDC) by reviewing published literature and identifying gaps, debates, and areas of further research. The study adopted a qualitative research design and a narrative review approach by incorporating elements of systematic review methodology. This study extends the review to measuring TDC and the link between TDC, tourism performance, and quality of life. The key findings of this review reveal that there needs to be more consensus about TDC measurement approaches, and no universal list of TDC determinants applies to all destinations. Besides, most studies focus on developed countries, and the link between tourism performance and quality of life is scarce, especially in low-income and middle-income (developing) countries. Indeed, this review uncovers gaps, and addressing these gaps in future research will contribute new knowledge to the evolving phase of TDC theory. Therefore, the findings are of particular value to tourism researchers and policymakers, where achieving TDC with its promise of prosperity for residents is a concern.

Tourism economics and policy

Tourism destinations of physical environment include tourism products such as support services, tourist attractions, and tourism resources, which are available in various scales. These locations are in active competition to raise tourism rate of income. This research uses a model suggesting that destination competition should be evaluated not only by its potential in improving life style and social development, but also through proficiency in resource allocation resulting in long-term economic prosperity. Accordingly, the present study for the first time seeks to analyze the influential factors on the tourism destinations competitiveness in Anzali Special Economic Zone. Required data obtained by a 36-item questionnaire through which the views of 40 tourism experts and specialists selected from Gillan Province Cultural Heritage, Handicraft and Tourism Organization as well as Gillan University. To determine the influential factors, the Factor Analysis Tests were used, while Friedman test was applied to prioritize the effect of components in tourism destination competitive advantage of Anzali Special Economic Zone. The results of this study revealed a crucial importance of tourism attractions and planning components

PurposeThis study aims to examine the relationships between tourism destination competitiveness (TDC) determinants and tourism performance. This study specifically assessed the soundness of the TDC attributes and evaluated their ability in explaining tourism performance.Design/methodology/approachThe Dwyer and Kim’s (2003) destination competitiveness integrated model (IM) was used. Secondary data of 115 nations available from the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI) and other international reports were also used. The hypothesised relationships were tested via partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).FindingsThis study confirms that the core resources, complementary condition, globalisation and tourism price significantly explain tourism performance. Results have shown differences in the competitiveness level and actual performance among nations, highlighting specific limitations of the current TDC model and TTCI report reliability.Research limitations/implicationsFuture study could segment the sample base on destinations characteristic and then analyse it based on smaller sub-samples of similar destinations. Moreover, drivers of destination performance in developed and less develop destinations are quite diverse.Practical implicationsThe incorrect competitiveness ranking evaluation will affect inward investment decisions. This study framework enables policymakers to arrive at more informed decisions than merely relying on the original competitiveness rankings.Originality/valueThe widespread acknowledgment of the importance of competitiveness for a tourism destination's success suggests that there is a crucial need for sound benchmarking of countries’ competitive capabilities. The proposed competitiveness determinants aid the policymakers in identifying the best competitiveness and tourism performance predictors, as well as how to identify crucial factors affecting the rankings.

Tourism Impacts, Planning and Management is a unique text, which links these three crucial areas of tourism - impacts, planning and management. Tourism impacts are multi-faceted and therefore are difficult to plan for and manage. This title looks at all the key players involved - be they tourists, host communities or industry members - and considers a number of approaches and techniques for managing tourism impacts successfully. Now in a third edition, this bestselling text has been fully revised to include: New material on: terrorism, sustainability, climate change, sex tourism, heritage tourism, theories of tourism planning and GIS. New chapter on Destination Planning and Management Updated tourism data and statistics Case studies on urban tourism, pro-poor tourism, cruise ship tourism, coral reef tourism, historic monuments, eco-labels, codes of conduct and sustainable tourism from both developed and developing regions, including Australia, Iceland, Spain, the UK, Namibia, the Arctic and Antarctica. A companion website including PPTs, video and web links. The text is written in an accessible style and includes a plethora of features that engage and aid understanding. This accessible yet academically rigorous introduction to tourism impacts, planning and management is essential reading for all tourism students.

Tourism development depends on the survival of the resource environment is a constantly changing and evolution of the composite system, tourism resources and environment of the advantages and disadvantages of determining the sustainable development and competitiveness of tourist destinations. This paper takes the resource synergistic management of rural tourist attractions as the research object, and realizes the sustainable synergistic development of economy, society and ecology through the multi-objective optimization of its resource and environmental carrying capacity. The system dynamics model is constructed to simulate and predict the resource and environmental carrying capacity of rural tourist attractions, and the NSGA-Ⅱ algorithm is used to realize the multi-objective optimization of resource and environmental carrying capacity based on the predicted value. Based on the data of tourism scale and tourism income of A rural tourism scenic spot from 2014 to 2023, the system dynamics simulation of its resource and environmental carrying potential was carried out, and its predicted data in 2030 under the continuation of the status quo was obtained. Relative to the actual value in 2023, the predicted value of the indicators of tourist attractions in Rural A only decreases from 1.47×106m³ to 1.43×106m³ in terms of water supply capacity, and all other indicators are significantly improved, indicating that Rural A will realize a larger development of its own carrying capacity while sacrificing a small amount of water supply capacity. Furthermore, this paper simulates and solves the optimization model using the NSGA-II algorithm, which provides a reference for the decision maker to choose a scheme by searching for the optimal solution set.

Tourism activities significantly impact a country’s economy, environment, community, and visitors. In the Malaysian context, rural communities have adopted rural tourism as an alternative source of income. The competitiveness of a tourism destination is crucial for the long-term profitability of rural tourism destinations. The tourism experience is a critical factor for tourists when choosing a destination. Therefore, it is essential to focus not only on attractions but also on a destination’s infrastructure, image, and hospitality. However, current literature lacks a single study that examines the impact of both tangible and intangible resources on the competitiveness of rural tourism destinations, using mobile technology as a moderating variable with a multi-group analysis approach. Thus, the present study aims to investigate the tangible and intangible tourism assets that determine the competitiveness of rural tourism destinations, with the moderating effects of mobile technology use. The results were then compared between Sarawak, Malaysia, and Henan province, China, to provide a better understanding of rural tourism destination competitiveness in the Asia region. A total of 525 datasets were collected (233 from Sarawak and 292 from Henan) for analysis in the current study. A partial least squares multi-group analysis (PLS-MGA) was employed to compare Sarawak and Henan. The results revealed a strong and positive correlation between rural tourism destination competitiveness and factors such as destination appeal, destination image, and service quality. Furthermore, it was found that mobile technology use moderated the relationship between destination image and rural tourism destination competitiveness. Theoretically, the findings contribute to existing literature and the theory of competitiveness by offering additional insights into destination competitiveness. The results also serve as an important reference for scholars interested in extending research on destination competitiveness, particularly in the field of rural tourism. Practically, tourism practitioners in Sarawak, Malaysia, and Henan province, Chin a, can use the findings as a reference for decision-making, especially in policy-making and marketing strategies. ICT developers can also refer to this study when designing mobile technologies, with a focus on better integrating mobile technology into tourism infrastructure. Finally, both the limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are discussed.

This study examines the role of economic conditions in moderating the relationship between tourism destination competitiveness (TDC), tourism performance (TP), and quality of life (QoL) in middle-income countries (MICs). Using a quantitative approach with data from 67 MICs—including upper-middle-income countries (UMICs) and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs)—the research employs Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) and Multi-Group Analysis (MGA). Findings reveal that in UMICs, economic conditions significantly moderate the effects of destination management and environmental quality on tourism performance. However, no significant moderation is found for core resources, supporting resources, or tourism prices. In LMICs, economic conditions significantly influence the relationship between tourism performance and quality of life, suggesting that effective tourism management can enhance residents' well-being. The study underscores the importance of tailoring tourism policies to economic conditions, highlighting the need for UMICs to fully address economic leakage to realise tourism benefits. This research contributes to understanding how economic conditions shape tourism dynamics and provides insights for tourism policymaking in MICs.

The article substantiates the need to evaluate the socio-economic development of tourism in Ukraine as an important area of management effectiveness. Today, in order to successfully plan and develop tourism in the region, as well as to manage its development, it is necessary to have a clear understanding of the socio-economic importance of tourism. The positive effect of tourism development on the economy of the region is created only if tourism in the region develops comprehensively. It is noted that in the economy there are many different indicators of evaluation of the efficiency of the tourism sector, which are divided into: global (at the level of economy of the state, region) and local (for enterprises and their departments). The most important indicator of economic efficiency, which reflects the final financial results of the tourism enterprise is the profitability indicator. The calculation of quantitative indicators of tourist activity in the region provides for the calculation and analysis of indicators separately for each city. The aggregate contribution of tourism to the region’s economy includes both direct and indirect contribution. The direct impact of tourism on the economy of the region is the result of the tourist’s spending on the purchase of tourism services and goods. The indirect contribution of tourism to the economy of the region is manifested in the effect of repeating the cost of tourists to buy services and goods at a certain time and place. The general concept of socio-economic assessment of tourism development of a large tourist center (region) is investigated. It is noted that a comparative assessment of the effectiveness of tourism development should be made taking into account its impact on the economy of the city (region). The concept proposes, as a criterion for the effectiveness of tourism development, to accept the income generated by the socio-economic sphere of the region (city) from tourism activities. It is substantiated that the development of human resources is an essential element of sustainable development of tourism, as well as the region and society as a whole. Sustainable development of tourism ultimately leads to sustainable development of the entire territory, while protecting nature, culture, social and economic development. It is noted that the development of tourism services, human resources in the tourism industry is an important factor in the planning and development of human resources in the region and the country as a whole. The stages of the conceptual model of planning and development of human resources in tourism are considered. It is noted that the existing indicators of the efficiency of tourism services development to a small extent reflect the social efficiency of tourism development, and do not take into account the level of human resources development of the industry. The method of estimation of tourism development is offered, focused on the conceptual model of planning and development of human resources in tourism, by introducing an aggregate indicator – the index of development of human resources of tourism. In order to focus on the practical applicability of this approach, the index of development of human resources in tourism can be calculated on the basis of the following indicators: experience (experience) in tourism; the number of employees in tourism who have tertiary education; number of employees in higher education tourism; income of workers employed in tourism. The methodology made it possible to draw conclusions and develop recommendations for improving the quality standards of training of skilled workers of hotels and tourist companies as an important operational goal of the strategic direction of tourism development “creating an atmosphere of hospitality, improving the quality of municipal and commercial services”.

International travel is one of the fastest-expanding links, connecting countries worldwide and bringing them closer together. Since 1990, many Southeast Asian countries have opened their doors to international integration and have become attractive destinations for international tourists by promoting tourism development, typically Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia. The study of brands and competitiveness for tourism destinations in Vietnam is essential. However, there is no research done yet to study the brands and competitiveness of destinations in Mekong Delta. This research aims to define factors affecting the brand and competitiveness of a tourism destination; its foundation is a synthesis of qualitative and quantitative research methods and it focuses on a case study in the Mekong Delta. Group conversations with specialists were held to conduct qualitative research. Research directly interviewed 650 tourists in Mekong Delta tourist areas and was used to conduct quantitative research. The research will show which specific factors affect the brand and destination competitiveness in the Mekong Delta that other researchers have not shown. The research results show that: (i) brand of a destination is affected by eight factors (tourism infrastructure, natural environment, destination adaptation, culinary culture, safety and security in tourism, hospitality, service costs and local folk music); (ii) competitiveness of a destination is affected by nine factors (tourism infrastructure, natural environment, destination adaptation, culinary culture, safety and security in tourism, human service costs, local folk music and brand). From the results, this research suggests some managerial implications for expanding brands and strengthening the destination competitiveness in the Mekong Delta.

The aim of this paper is to explore how destination strategy – marketing, employees, policy of planning and destination development, management of service quality and management of environmental protection - affects competitiveness of rural tourism destinations in Vojvodina (Serbia) and Hungary. Tourism experts in Vojvodina (136) and Hungary (138) were asked to evaluate the current condition of all 24 attributes which affect the competitiveness of rural tourism destinations. Likert scale of five marks was used in order to determine the effect of the strategies on the competitiveness of Vojvodina/Hungary as a rural tourism destination. Authors concluded that a large number of tourist resources and attractions are irreplaceable, and the purpose of formulating and implementing strategies must be to ensure that the use of resource ensure their long-term sustainability. Such a development strategies are processes or activities that correspond to the tourist attractions and resources of destinations, and on the other hand, are aligned with the external environment. Destination competitiveness can be increased by using a strategy of constant innovation and continuous change. In order to be competitive, destination should offer flexible, segmented and customized products. The main methods of developing flexibility for the competitiveness of tourist destinations rely on the organization, management, marketing, distribution and other forms of interactions and relationships between tourism suppliers.

There is increasing demand for nature‐based tourism, and tourism destination competitiveness is increasingly reliant on a positive environmental image. However, the long‐term viability of the nature‐based tourism experience relies on the sustainability of the underlying natural assets. Ecotourism has highly variable definitions with important differences regarding sustainability between eco‐tourism and nature‐based tourism. This is because nature‐based tourism is purely utilitarian with no protective measures for natural assets. Policy formation around ecotourism and the sustainability of nature‐based tourism requires clear definitions of these concepts. We explored a range of perspectives on ecotourism, tourism management and visitor interactions with nature‐based tourism destinations, to inform an integrated effective definition of ecotourism. We used thematic analysis of 31 semi‐structured interviews from cohorts of tourism (n = 15) and environmental (n = 16) professionals in Ireland. Data saturation was achieved for both cohorts. Participants identified that nature is often viewed as a tourism product and, without sustainable management practices, the long‐term economic viability of nature‐based tourism is questionable. Environmental engagement of visitors was linked to tourism experience and overall destination competitiveness and was considered an important facilitator of sustainable practices. Participants showed concern for shifting perceptions of biodiversity and the environment, with richness and quality of biodiversity degrading over time. Collaborative action and engagement of local communities, with a focus on long‐term environmental action, were seen as essential for sustainable nature‐based tourism. We synthesised existing definitions from the literature and perspectives gained from the analysis to provide an integrated definition of ecotourism: Any tourism activity or product which interacts with, or capitalises on, natural assets (nature‐based tourism) that has integral long‐term benefits to the environment such as positive conservation outcomes, engaging environmental experiences (including education) and/or raised environmental awareness that facilitates positive environmental stewardship, while also ensuring tourism is sustainably managed for the environment, communities and the economy. Practical Implication: Meaningful definitions of ecotourism and/or nature‐based tourism are required within tourism policy frameworks, with metrics associated with the definitions to avoid misuse. Collaborative management practices are needed to integrate nature engagement into the tourism offerings to enrich visitor experiences while facilitating positive environmental attitudes/behaviours.

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to explore cultural tourism investment and resident quality of life in the Midwestern city of Indianapolis, Indiana. It is important to understand from a cultural tourism perspective how further attempts to grow and invest in tourism will affect resident perception of quality of life and future cultural tourism investment.Design/methodology/approach– To achieve this goal, data from the 2012 Indianapolis Quality of Life survey was statistically analyzed to specifically examine how residents’ perceived quality of life affects cultural tourism investment. This allows for the study of what city-service attributes (i.e. safety, attractions, transportation, etc.) identify as potential indicators of whether residents’ perception of quality of life affects cultural tourism investment and if there were any correlations between demographic factors of age, gender, ethnicity, and household income with the perception that investing in cultural events and attractions for tourists is good for residents.Findings– Results indicated that several key city-service attributes identify as potential indicators of whether residents’ perception of quality of life in Indianapolis affects residents’ perceptions that investing in cultural tourism for tourists is good for residents. Furthermore, excluding perceptions of cultural tourism investment, several key city-service attributes identified as potential indicators of residents’ perception of quality of life in Indianapolis. Finally, results indicated that demographic factors of gender, age, ethnicity, and income were not significant when it came to affecting the perception that investing in cultural events and attractions for tourists is good for residents.Research limitations/implications– The findings of this study have unique academic and applied implications in the continued study of tourism in Indianapolis, Indiana. This study provided research related to the study of quality of life in Indianapolis and reported statistics for the 2012 Indianapolis Quality of Life survey. The data and statistical analysis reported in this study will serve as valuable information for future endeavors concerning cultural tourism and quality of life in Indianapolis. The identification of city-service attributes that significantly impact resident perception of quality of life and city-service attributes that, in conjunction with resident perception of quality of life, affect how residents perceive cultural tourism investments is important information that can be utilized by future researchers, tourism planners, and policymakers in Indianapolis. The analysis revealed what city-service attributes are important to residents of Indianapolis and demographic factors that affect resident perception of quality of life. The continued examination of these city-service attributes may help to identify areas of public service that need to be improved.Practical implications– This study demonstrates that resident level of awareness pertaining to the benefits of cultural tourism investment are relatively low. Tourism planners, officials, and researchers can utilize this knowledge to better facilitate methods to gain resident support for cultural tourism investment and development. In addition, this research can be utilized to better understand the needs of residents and how tourism and various city-services impact their quality of life. If cultural tourism planners and other tourism officials better understand methods to gain resident support for cultural tourism investment then they can maximize economic and cultural tourism gains for the city.Originality/value– This case study specifically focussed on cultural tourism to better present data regarding this issue; however, the authors believe future studies that examine both cultural and sports tourism could be beneficial. Aspects such as city-services and resident perception of quality of life could be examined from both cultural and sports tourism perspectives. This approach could produce beneficial results regarding cultural and sports tourism investment and potentially highlight demographic characteristics unique to cultural tourism and sports tourism supporters in the city of Indianapolis.

The competitiveness of tourist destinations worldwide is of vital importance for any destination that wishes to develop and improve its positioning in the global, national and/or regional market, because the actors of tourist destinations are aware that the greater the number of tourists and tourist spending in the destination, the greater the economic development that directly and indirectly affects the different actors, the ultimate objective being to improve the quality of life of the people in the community. Therefore, this study focuses on carrying out a review of the scientific literature on the competitiveness of tourist destinations, with the objective of identifying the dimensions, factors and indicators used in the different models of destination competitiveness, which can be applied to a tourist destination at the present time and have greater clarity when evaluating it. In this sense, a bibliographic review of 40 scientific articles from Scopus and Science Direct published between 2000 and 2021 was carried out, of which 29 articles were selected based on the criteria of the proposed models of competitiveness of tourist destinations, factors and indicators used. The results of the study contemplate a theoretical framework of competitiveness in itself, the competitiveness of tourist destinations and the models of competitiveness of tourist destinations, making an analysis of the differences and similarities between them; likewise, indicators used to analyze the destination are presented, and finally, studies that have used these theories and models in different countries are presented. Finally, it is concluded that the theories of the competitiveness of tourist destinations that have most influenced these models have been those proposed by Ritchie and Crouch, and Dwyer and Kim, since they have between 7 and 9 factors in common and 57 indicators.