Competitiveness and tourism

摘要

Competitiveness has been a major focal point of both academic and policy attention in recent years (Hong, 2009). The "conventional wisdom" is that like many firms, nations, regions, cities and, in the case of tourism studies, destinations, have no choice but to be "competitive" in the global marketplace. This has meant the development of a range of government and supranational initiatives to improve competitiveness as well as a host of league tables for places to climb, such as those of the World Economic Forum, Centre for International Competitiveness and the Martin Prosperity Institute. As Martin (2005, p. 2) observes, "The credo of competitiveness has attracted a veritable host of believers and followers. Economists and experts everywhere have elevated 'competitiveness' to the status of a natural law of the modern capitalist economy. Policy-makers across the globe have been swept up in this competitiveness fever". And, to this we can add this edited collection on competitiveness in tourism.