Tourism has become a global industry, with the destination being at the core of the tourism product. Due to an increasingly competitive market place, ensuring destination competitiveness is vital. The aim of this study is to detect which factors destination suppliers perceive as important for the competitiveness of their destination.
A quantitative research paradigm was chosen. A survey was conducted using a self‐administered questionnaire containing questions referring to the five dimensions of the destination competitiveness model by Ritchie and Crouch. The convenience sample comprised n=71 stakeholders of the supply‐side. Indices for the dimensions were computed. A MANOVA was conducted to test for differences in the perception of the destination competitiveness dimensions. Post‐hoc tests were employed to test between which groups the differences lay.
Six stakeholder groups were detected. The estimated model suggested that significant differences regarding the stakeholder's perception of destination competitiveness and the dimensions core resources, destination management, and destination policy exist.
The sample size is rather small and, moreover, future research should additionally include the demand‐side of destinations.
Communication from the destination managing organization is recommended in order to promote a more coherent picture of the destination toward the tourists.
This study emphasizes the complexity of the tourism product. Moreover, it is shown that differences in the perception of the destination competitiveness dimensions occur based on the industry the respondent works in. Overall, the usefulness for measuring destination competitiveness by the Ritchie and Crouch model is confirmed.
