Knowledge Networks of Destination Regions: A Systemic Cross-Sectoral and Regional Perspective

Abstract

Innovation in tourism is increasingly driven by knowledge networks that span sectors and regions, yet their systemic dynamics remain underexplored. This conceptual paper applies a neo-Schumpeterian evolutionary economic geography lens to reframe how tourism knowledge networks are understood at macro-destination and extra-regional levels. Adopting a network-system perspective, it proposes a typology of tourism knowledge networks based on systemic qualities such as boundedness, coherence, and unified function. The paper advocates for a cross-sectoral, multi-destination knowledge network continuum as a more effective foundation for examining innovation processes in tourism. The study contributes a new framework for analyzing regional innovation systems in tourism and sets a research agenda emphasizing the importance of integrated, multi-scalar knowledge exchange in destination development.