Tourism and Innovation (Contemporary Geographies of Leisure, Tourism and Mobility)

"This is a timely book placing tourism innovation in the context of current academic and policy concerns relating to knowledge, competition and the management of change. An introductory chapter describes how innovation in tourism is both distinctive from and similar to innovation in other sectors. This is followed by three chapters that explore how competition drives tourism innovation, how knowledge transfers and creation lead the process, and how institutions shape innovation. These provide a coherent theoretical framework for understanding the roles of different agencies in innovation, ranging from the state, to firms, and consumers. The next four chapters analyse innovation at different scales, reviewing the territorial dimensions of innovation through the fresh perspectives of national and regional innovation systems, as well as the determinants of innovation in the tourism firm, and the contested and complex role of entrepreneurship. The final chapter summarises the importance of understanding tourism innovation." "This volume provides an accessible introduction to a key but neglected topic. A clear conceptual framework is complemented by numerous illustrative international case studies. This book will be useful guide for researchers and students of tourism studies, management and business, geography and regional studies."--BOOK JACKET.