Integrating smart specialisation strategies into destination marketing: A conceptual model proposal

Öz

In today's increasingly competitive global environment, where regional development policies are being reshaped around knowledge, innovation, and local potential, the Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3) has emerged as a key policy approach for enhancing the sustainable competitiveness of regions. However, studies examining the theoretical integration of S3 with destination marketing remain limited. This study aims to conceptualize the relationship between S3 and destination marketing and to propose an original conceptual model integrating these two approaches. A qualitative research design was adopted, and a comprehensive literature review was conducted covering the European Union's S3 literature, the Entrepreneurial Discovery Process (EDP), regional innovation systems, and national and international studies on destination marketing. In addition, international S3 implementation cases were comparatively analyzed. The findings indicate that the core principles of S3, place-based development, the EDP, related variety, participatory governance, and impact orientation which are highly compatible with the key dimensions of destination marketing, including local identity, multi-stakeholder governance, thematic experience development, digitalization, and sustainable destination management. Based on these findings, the proposed conceptual model provides a strategic framework that integrates destination marketing with regional innovation and development policies, offering practical guidance for policymakers, local governments, and destination management organizations.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Smart Specialization Strategy
• Destination Marketing
• Regional Innovation Systems
• Smart Destination

Akıllı uzmanlaşma stratejilerinin destinasyon pazarlamasıyla entegrasyonu: Kavramsal bir model önerisi

Öz

Küresel rekabetin yoğunlaştığı ve bölgesel kalkınma politikalarının bilgi, yenilik ve yerel potansiyeller doğrultusunda yeniden şekillendiği günümüzde, Akıllı Uzmanlaşma Stratejisi (S3), bölgelerin sürdürülebilir rekabet gücünü artıran önemli bir politika yaklaşımı olarak öne çıkmaktadır. Buna karşın destinasyon pazarlaması literatüründe S3 ile kuramsal bütünleşmeyi ele alan çalışmalar sınırlıdır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, S3 ile destinasyon pazarlaması arasındaki kavramsal ilişkiyi ortaya koymak ve bu iki yaklaşımı bütünleştiren özgün bir kavramsal model önermektir. Araştırmada nitel araştırma yaklaşımı benimsenmiş ve Avrupa Birliği'nin S3 literatürü, girişimci keşif süreci (GKS), bölgesel yenilik sistemleri ve destinasyon pazarlaması alanındaki ulusal ve uluslararası çalışmalar kapsamlı bir literatür incelemesiyle analiz edilmiştir. Ayrıca uluslararası S3 uygulamaları karşılaştırmalı olarak değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular, S3'ün temel ilkeleri olan yerellik, GKS, ilişkili çeşitlilik, katılımcı yönetişim ve etki odaklılığın; destinasyon pazarlamasındaki yerel kimlik, çok paydaşlı yönetişim, tematik deneyim geliştirme, dijitalleşme ve sürdürülebilir destinasyon yönetimiyle güçlü bir uyum gösterdiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Bu doğrultuda geliştirilen kavramsal model, destinasyon pazarlamasını bölgesel yenilik ve kalkınma politikalarıyla bütünleştiren stratejik bir çerçeve sunmakta, politika yapıcılar, yerel yönetimler ve destinasyon yönetim organizasyonları için yol gösterici bir yaklaşım önermektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• akıllı uzmanlaşma stratejisi
• destinasyon pazarlaması
• bölgesel yenilik sistemleri
• akıllı destinasyon

Etik Beyan

Çalışma Derleme Makale olduğu için Etik Kurul İzni alınmamıştır.

Kaynakça

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