Exploring Tourism Destination Path Plasticity 39 Zeitschrift Für Wirtschaftsgeographie Jg

Henrik Halkier / Anette Therkelsen: Exploring tourism destination path plasticity 39 Zeitschrift für Wirtschaftsgeographie Jg. 57 (2013) Heft 1-2, S. 39–51 Henrik Halkier / Anette Therkelsen, Aalborg Exploring tourism destination path plasticity The case of coastal tourism in North Jutland, Denmark Henrik Halkier / Anette Therkelsen: Exploring tourism destination path plasticity Abstract. Path dependency is an acknowledged characteristic of tourism due to a majority of small and micro-sized firms and with that limited resourceful actors who can engage actively in path creation through development of new services and experiences. The aim of this paper is to analyse the socio-economic institutions that have facilitated the rise of coastal tourism, and on the basis of this to gauge the scope for incremental change, or plasticity, within the prevailing development path. The paper can be seen as an explorative study of the micro-dynamics of path plasticity, adopting a case- study-based approach, exploring two coastal-rural destinations in North Jutland, Denmark. First a review of the literature on destination development and innovation is undertaken in order to identify key issues concerning continuity and change in tourism as a spatially embedded socio-economic activity. Then a conceptual framework for the analysis is outlined, inspired by traditions within institutionalism. Thirdly, the empirical analysis begins by identifying the key institutions supporting the rise of North Jutland as a successful international tourist destination in the 1980s and 1990s, and finally we discuss the extent to which scope for path plasticity can be found within this framework in the current climate of crisis, focusing especially on the role of combinatorial knowledge and policy agency. It is concluded that coastal tourism despite resemblances of an institutional ‘iron triangle’ actually is a more flexible structure which allows for a considerable degree of incremental change, provided that the actors involved are willing to engage in innovative development activities within the existing institutional framework. Keywords: Coastal tourism, destination development, path dependency, path plasticity, destination governance Introduction In recent decades the competitive pressure on destinations across Europe has greatly increased Tourism has traditionally been perceived as due to the growth of internet-based services and characterised by a combination of labour-inten- deregulation of the European airspace by the sive hands-on services, a preponderance of small European Union (EU) which has led to a rapid or micro firms, and limited innovation (HALKIER spread of a new budget-airline business model 2010b; HALL/WILLIAMS 2008; MALERBA 2004b; and the opening up of new long-haul mass desti- WEIERMAIR 2006). Such characteristics would nations in the Far East (BIEGER/WITTMER 2006; seem to make tourism a sector in which path de- HALKIER 2010a; HALL/PAGE 2002). Especially pendency would be particularly pronounced due coastal destinations in rural regions in north- to shortage of actors with sufficient resources western Europe which are not served by Ryanair to engage actively in path creation through de- and others have suddenly had to cope with the velopment of new services and experiences. fact that large parts of their traditional visitor- Indeed, even when tourist destinations are inter- base were now tempted away by new and excit- preted from a development-oriented “life-cycle” ing tourist destinations that had become visible, perspective (BUTLER 1980/2006), a contrast is accessible and affordable. North Jutland, Den- assumed between long periods of stable path mark’s primary coastal holiday destination, is a dependent evolution and shorter conjunctures of good example of a previously successful desti- possible path creation where new development nation having to face stagnating visitor numbers, directions are defined by actors capable of modi- and hence creation of a new development path fying key features of the destination in order to could mean the difference between decline and renew its appeal to potential visitors. future prosperity. Given the considerable invest- 40 Zeitschrift für Wirtschaftsgeographie Heft 1-2 / 2013 ments already undertaken in tourist infrastruc- The text proceeds in four main steps. First a ture within the region, not least in terms of self- review of the literature on destination devel- catering holiday homes (LARSEN et al. 2012), the opment and innovation is undertaken in order attraction of exploring the scope for variation to identify key issues concerning continuity within the existing institutional set-up is, how- and change in tourism as a spatially embed- ever, considerable. This makes the notion of ded socio-economic activity. Then a conceptual path plasticity (STRAMBACH 2010; STRAMBACH/ framework for the analysis is outlined, inspired HALKIER 2013) interesting as an alternative by traditions within institutionalism. Thirdly, framing of change processes in the destination, the empirical analysis begins by identifying focusing on incremental rather than sudden and the key institutions supporting the rise of North comprehensive forms of change. Jutland as a successful international tourist destination in the 1980s and 1990s. Finally we The aim of this paper is to analyse the socio-eco- discuss the extent to which scope for path plas- nomic institutions that have facilitated the rise of ticity can be found within this framework in the coastal tourism, and on the basis of this to gauge current climate of crisis, focusing especially on the scope for path plasticity, focusing especially the role of combinatorial knowledge and policy on the role of access to knowledge from outside agency. the region and/or sector and policy agency. This focus reflects two assumptions that will be ex- panded on below: Firstly, that extra-regional Continuity and change in tourism and extra-sectoral sources of know ledge are particularly important for innovation in inter- In the literature on regional economic develop- nationally oriented destinations; secondly, that ment the issue of path dependency and lock-in the well-established complexity of tourist desti- has received extensive attention (see e. g. HAS nations makes public coordination and proactiv- SINK 2005; MARTIN/SUNLEY 2006; STRAMBACH/ ity important in utilising opportunities offered HALKIER 2013), but in research on the develop- by path plasticity. As the paper can be seen as an ment of tourist destinations an explicit adop- explorative study of the micro-dynamics of path tion of such concepts and perspectives is still plasticity, it adopts a case-study-based approach, relative rare. The notion of path dependency has exploring two coastal-rural destinations, Toppen been employed in studies of the development af Danmark and Mariagerfjord in North Jutland, of particularly aspects of destination develop- Denmark (Fig. 1). ment as a way to conceptualise the impact of the wider context. This is exemplified by a study Fig. 1: The two Danish coastal tourism destina- of the socio-political context for the framing of tions used as case studies the development of a world heritage site (CAS SEL/PASHKEVICH 2008), or a study of partnership 50 km between public and private actors within desti- Toppen RAMWELL OX af Danmark nations (B /C 2009). But, perhaps unsurprisingly, the most important contributions have been made by researchers with a back- ground in geography, such as Allan Williams (HALL/WILLIAMS 2008), and Alison Gill (GILL/ Mariagerfjord WILLIAMS 2011). A common feature of their work is the emphasis on the systemic features of tourism development that, all other things being equal, make destination development proceed along a path, often involving growth or, occa- sionally, stasis. Like in the literature focusing on the development of industrial districts, emphasis is given to the importance of property rights and patterns of ownership, political governance structures and regulation, and knowledge processes and workforce competences. This, taken together, result in strategic lock-in that makes it difficult to change the direction of development Cartography: Harald Krähe within a destination because prevailing institu- Henrik Halkier / Anette Therkelsen: Exploring tourism destination path plasticity 41 tions, organisational interests, dominant world Additional inspiration for such an endeavour can views, and modes of operation all point towards be found in a much smaller body of work that the reassuring continuity entailed in more of the attempts to analyse tourism activities from an same. It is, however, important also to notice a innovations system perspective. This perspec- common feature in the studies of path depend- tive has been applied to nations (e. g. LUNDVALL encies in tourism destination development, 1992), sectors (e. g. MALBERA 2004a), and re- namely the importance attached to changing gions (e. g. BRACZYK et al. 1998; COOKE et al. markets and demand patterns (WILLIAMS/BALAZ 2004), and despite the focus on innovation and 2002), often positioned in the role as external development, the emphasis would still seem to and uncontrollable factors that fuel the need for have been on systemic features and hence the change, either in terms of managing extensive path dependent nature of development (HJALA growth or dealing with decreasing visitor num- GER et al. 2008, 23 ff.; OLSEN 2012). Although bers. the notion of spatial patterns in the interplay between public and

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