A Service Science View of a Sustainable Destination Management

Abstract

We live in a service age. In everyday life, as well as in business management, every action, behaviour, process, strategy is increasingly oriented to service. Gradually, every human activity is positively affected by service logics in search of better performance and improved quality levels. Tourism business is strongly affected by the principles of service sciences, in fact, in tourism, both the internal organization of companies and the external promotion of destinations are strictly related to service. Moreover, we can observe how all relations intended for the development of tourism, as well as wise and competitive destination management are based on service logics. Thus, this paper aims at highlighting the relevant role of new service paradigms within the strategic and operational models of destination management, as well as the significant contribution of Service Sciences, Management and Engineering and Design (SSMED) foundations to business competitiveness for today's tourism enterprises. After analyzing the common behaviors of tourism destination actors, it has been possible to deploy a comparison between different statistical trends triggering a transition toward the service age. Thereafter, direct effects of verified changes on today's destination systems have been examined, highlighting an emerging common vision of organizations, operations, strategies, markets, and developments on tourism services.