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PurposeThe take‐over of the hospitality family business by the entrepreneur's daughter or son is a complex process. The aim of the paper is to analyse the impact of commitment on succession in hospitality family businesses from the viewpoint of the successors. The contribution aims to shed more light on the different dimensions of commitment relevant for the succession process.Design/methodology/approachTo understand the role of commitment in the succession process this study uses a qualitative approach. Interviews were carried out with 15 successors of hospitality businesses in South Tyrol, Italy. The obtained narrative texts have been transcribed and evaluated with GABEK®, a tool for analyzing qualitative data. The transcripts of the interviews were separated into text units and coded, developing a network of data. This rule‐based procedure of systematizing, coding and interpreting considers both syntax and semantics and enhances the validity of the results.FindingsThe results reveal that commitment seems to play a very major role in the whole succession. A cluster analysis indicates the linkage of three topics: Motives, Family business and Take‐over constitute the construct “Commitment”. The motives show that parents' heritage or the successors' perceptions of the business as the home where they have grown up are important reasons to run this family business. Also trust or personal support through family members can be interpreted as push motives to become the successor.Research limitations/implicationsResults may be influenced by the geographical concentration, but also by the selection process of the interviewees. The research is based on qualitative data that were gathered in one particular region in South Tyrol, Italy. Furthermore, the successors who participated in the survey mostly were very successful businesses keen on joining this research. Further research should focus on the role of commitment and its antecedents and consequences. In addition, commitment bases should be investigated from the predecessor but also from the successors' perspective in the light of the current and past business and business environment situation.Practical implicationsThe results highlight that in the succession process, different bases of commitment exist which particularly influence the perception of succession process. Furthermore, they can be interpreted as hurdles or facilitators to the transition of the family business.Originality/valueThis paper provides useful information on the impact of commitment on succession in hospitality family businesses from the viewpoint of the successors.

PurposeIn South Tyrol, Italy, and in other alpine destinations, the role of publicly financed tourism destination management has traditionally a strong focus on image promotion. In South Tyrol, three further regional public management organisations have recently been founded with the aim of developing the location by expanding its innovation and export capabilities, especially for small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). All four public organisations aim to increase the competitiveness of local companies through creating a more efficient management of destination and location. The cooperation between the four organisations and further public and private regional stakeholders might be regarded as a regional innovation system (RIS). This paper aims to analyse and discuss within the frame of a case study, the structure of the cooperation between the four public organisations and if it can be regarded as a developing South Tyrolean regional innovation system. The paper aims to focus on the roles of the four organisations, possible synergies and implications for regional governance.Design/methodology/approachFour qualitative interviews were conducted with the directors of the four organisations, based on four open questions. The interviews were analysed using the GABEK technique and WinRelan software. These combined techniques helped to visualise the processes within and between social organisations. Further, they helped to show, structure and organise respondents' experiences and opinions, and enabled the researchers to identify opportunities and difficulties, even in such complex structures.FindingsThe results of the study show there exists a cooperation of semi‐private organisations in South Tyrol, which shows characteristics of being a central part of a developing regional innovation system. The four analysed organisations work on different tasks and positions in the promotion and management of the region under a set of common goals. The destination management organisation takes a central and important part in the regional innovation system. Its umbrella brand is an integrating element for the entire cooperation. Nevertheless, the analysed organisations have unrealised potential for further cooperation. The realisation of synergies, and a clearer definition of responsibilities by the regional government, are seen as the bases for better regional governance and for the implementation of an effective regional innovation system in South Tyrol.Research limitations/implicationsThis study has some limitations, including that further research on this approach is needed in order to characterize the whole regional innovation system. Furthermore a comparative study with other regions should be conducted.Originality/valueThe processes behind the development of an integrated regional management and marketing can be observed in several alpine regions (such as Graubünden, Tyrol) and major cities (for example, Zürich, Bern). South Tyrol underwent a long process of umbrella brand development – the basis for the integration of ec...

PurposeDestinations are embedded in a competitive environment, in which quality and service alone do not satisfy the customer, and are no longer useful for differentiation. Thus experiences, as a source of customer value, are gaining importance in destination management. Experiences are provided at isolated attraction points, rather than as networks within spaces. Thus, destinations are forced to provide emotional experiences along the entire tourist service chain within the destination space. The challenge is to transform the space of the tourist's movements into one of experiences. The main purpose of this study is to develop a conceptual framework for the mobility offer in the destination, the realised mobility and the relative experience.Design/methodology/approachThe construct was empirically tested on the culture event MANIFESTA 7, one of Europe's biggest events for contemporary art, which took place on four different, spatially unconnected locations in the northern Italian region of Trentino‐South Tyrol. In total 1,394 quantitative face‐to‐face interviews were conducted.FindingsThe results of the study show that the concept of different spaces can be elaborated and measured. Further, a causal relationship between the spaces was found. Thus, the spaces build on one another. It was also found that the experience space has a strong influence on overall satisfaction of the visitors and likelihood of recommendation.Research limitations/implicationsThis study has some limitations, including that further research on this approach is needed in order to find ways to measure individual experiences and spatial behaviour simultaneously.Originality/valueThe findings from this study constitute an attempt to determine a structured approach to this interdisciplinary field of research. They should also help managers and planners to improve the attractiveness and competitiveness of destinations.

The destination image reflects the impressions and ideas tourists have of a holiday region and strongly influences visitors' behavior. Visitors to cultural events have differing images of destinations according to their interest in seeing the event itself. Destination managers can exploit the factors that influence the destination image and customer satisfaction with a cultural event in order to successfully position the destination and improve communication. Destination image, quality of event, and customer satisfaction are highly related, and this study analyzes these factors for three differently motivated groups of visitors. An empirical investigation of visitors at 2008 Manifesta 7, the European Biennial of Contemporary Art, was conducted in order to ascertain differences among groups according to these variables. The results show that differentiation of promotion measures is needed depending on the single items that influence satisfaction with cultural event and tourist offerings.