The competitive productivity (CP) of tourism destinations: an integrative conceptual framework and a reflection on big data and analytics

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is twofold. First, this study elaborates an integrative conceptual framework of tourism destination competitive productivity (TDCP) by blending established destination competitiveness frameworks, the competitive productivity (CP) framework and studies pertaining to big data and big data analytics (BDA) within destination management information systems and smart tourism destinations. Second, this study examines the drivers of TDCP in the context of the ongoing 4th industrial revolution by conceptualizing the destination business intelligence unit (DBIU) as a platform able to create sustained destination business intelligence under the guise of BDA, useful to support destination managers to achieve the tourism destination’s economic objectives. Design/methodology/approach In this work, the authors leverage both extant literature (under the guise of research on CP, tourism destination competitiveness [TDC] and destination management information systems) and empirical work (in the form of interviews and field work involving destination managers and chief executive officers of destination management organizations and convention bureaus, as well as secondary data) to elaborate, develop and present an integrative conceptual framework of TDCP. Findings The integrative conceptual framework of TDCP elaborated has been found helpful by a number of destination managers trying to understand how to effectively and efficiently manage and market a tourism destination in today’s fast-paced, digital and hypercompetitive environment. While DBIUs are at different stages of implementation, often as part of broader smart destination initiatives, it appears that they are increasingly fulfilling the purpose of creating sustained destination business intelligence by means of BDA to help tourism destinations achieve their economic goals. Research limitations/implications This work bears several practical implications for tourism policymakers, destination managers and marketers, technology developers, as well as tourism and hospitality firms and practitioners. Tourism policymakers could embed TDCP into tourism and economic policies, and destination managers and marketers might build and make use of platforms such as the proposed DBIU. Technology developers need to understand that designing destination management information systems in general and more specifically DBIUs requires an in-depth analysis of the stakeholders that are going to contribute, share, control and use BDA. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study constitutes the first attempt to integrate the CP, TDC and destination management information systems research streams to elaborate an integrative conceptual framework of TDCP. Second, the authors contribute to the Industry 4.0 research stream by examining the drivers of tourism destination CP in the context of the ongoing 4th industrial revolution. Third, the authors contribute to the destination management information systems research stream by introducing and conceptualizing the DBIU and the related sustained destination business intelligence.

Luxury hotels as orchestrators in gastronomic destination development and management: the case of Borgo Egnazia and the Itria Valley

“…The aim of this study was to shed light on the role a hotel can have as the orchestrator of a travel destination that bases its offerings on authentic and unique gastronomic resources, because local cuisine is increasingly considered a unique destination resource (Mariani et al , 2021). We argue that this kind of destination can be better described as an ecosystem of actors, which we define here as a luxury gastronomic business ecosystem, or LGBE.…”

“…This case can be considered both a critical and extreme one (Eisenhardt, 1989; Pratt, 2009) in the study of LGBE orchestrators, for a number of reasons relating to theory. First, scholars have been paying ever greater attention to the interplay between hotels and local culinary traditions (Bondzi-Simpson and Ayeh, 2019), because food heritage has become a reliable resource on which to build competitive advantage (Mariani et al , 2021). Second, cuisine affects tourist experiences at a specific location (Kivela and Crotts, 2006) and so hotels that develop LGBEs contribute to both their business and to that of stakeholders by enhancing the position of both their firm and the destination.…”

“…Gastronomic travel is experiencing great growth, attracting elite and business travelers as well as other segments of the tourism market fascinated by local cuisines (Batat, 2021; Taheri and Gannon, 2019). Following this trend, Vrontis et al (2016) called for more insights into the role of local players who recognize and exploit opportunities arising from culinary tourism, because traditional food can be considered a unique resource for travel destinations (Mariani et al , 2021).…”

Multisensory prosumption: how cooking classes shape perceptions of destinations

“…tourism more generally can, therefore, be used to manage and market destinations as well as enhance their competitiveness in a highly digital and hypercompetitive environment (Mariani et al, 2021;Mariani and Okumus, 2022). Secondly, cooking classes also provide or strengthen marketing opportunities for DMOs to engage with and provide inclusive, accessible tourism to visually impaired tourists by enabling them to engage their other heightened senses, a recommendation supported by Agapito (2020).…”

“…Such activities can not only increase visiting intentions but also (re)shape the destination image in the long term. Digital cooking classes and food tourism more generally can, therefore, be used to manage and market destinations as well as enhance their competitiveness in a highly digital and hypercompetitive environment (Mariani et al , 2021; Mariani and Okumus, 2022).…”