Regional Innovation Systems and Tourism: a Conceptual Approach

Abstract

This article aims at providing a conceptual framework for the analysis of regional innovation in tourism, linking the development of tourism destinations and geography of innovation fields of study. It discusses the evolution of innovation models towards interactive processes that highlight the importance of regions and regional actors in innovation and territorial development. Considering the nature and dynamics of tourism industry, Regional Innovation Systems theory was considered to be the most appropriated for this analysis. Bearing this in mind, the concept was applied to tourism destinations through: (i) the identification of tourism actors; (ii) the definition of tourism regions; (iii) the analysis of innovation networks in tourism innovation; and (iv) knowledge creation and transfer in tourism practices as crucial innovation
processes. This analysis resulted in a conceptual model of a Regional Tourism Innovation System, which contributes to the understanding of the dynamics of tourism systemic innovation (helping the design of innovation policies) and provides a model for empirical research on tourism innovation.