Bridging the Knowledge-gap Between the Old and the New: Regional Marine Experience Production in Orust, Västra Götaland, Sweden

Abstract

Today many regions in the industrialized world have to deal with a transformation from traditional industry such as agriculture or manufacturing to service-oriented production such as tourism. Nevertheless, few studies highlight the possibilities and limitations of inter-sectoral knowledge sharing among stakeholders representing these sectors and hence there seem to be missed opportunities for mutual collaboration in the era of experience production. Using an evolutionary perspective, this article aims to analyse how the leisure boat manufacturing and the tourism sectors in the municipality of Orust on the Swedish west coast, combine knowledge from these two sectors as a way to spur innovation in experience production. The article shows how there are a number of limitations to sectoral knowledge interaction. Some of them can be linked to the conservative nature of the traditional industry, and to the immature nature of the tourism sector, others to the role of policy. However, at the same time as there being a number of obstacles for collaboration, the article reveals some interesting possibilities to form inter-sectoral knowledge sharing.

Immigrant Entrepreneurs and Potentials for Path Creating Tourism Development in Rural Sweden

“…Brouder (2014) illustrates how recent research linking EEG and tourism issues has addressed either path dependence in established tourism destination regions or co-evolution within complex regional systems including also nontourism development paths. The study by Larsson and Lindström (2015) is one of few examples of the latter. Focusing on the interrelations between the leisure boat manufacturing and emerging tourism sector on Sweden's west coast, they apply the concept of path dependence to understand possibilities and obstacles for tourism development in a region dominated by manufacturing industry.…”

“…Besides collaboration and networking within the tourism sector itself, the relations to other business sectors are crucial. If tourism should be able to contribute to broader regional development, it needs strong linkages to the surrounding economy (Larsson & Lindström, 2015). In regions dominated by traditional, declining branches, increased co-operation and networking between tourism entrepreneurs and business leaders from other sectors thus appears crucial for breaking path dependency (Abbasian, 2016).…”

“…Similarly, the interviewed regional tourism developer stated that in people's mind and talking, there is still a distinction made between "the business sector" on the one hand, and "tourism" on the other. According to path dependence theory, strong, long-standing social networks of powerful actors are centred around a region's main industries (Larsson & Lindström, 2015). In Gävleborg, such networks can be expected to be related to the manufacturing industry sector, which has dominated the region for long.…”

“…The ambitious goals of the First National Tourism Strategy in Sweden of doubling the number of tourists and turnaround of the industry by 2020 and its emphasis on increasing foreign visitor numbers (Svensk Turism, 2010) have impacted upon regional and local tourism policies (Larsson & Lindström, 2015). As a means to realize these policies, government and EU funded regional tourism development projects have been carried out in many areas previously lacking touristic traditions (Müller & Brouder, 2014).…”

The end of tourism? A Gibson-Graham inspired reflection on the tourism economy

“…Even though evolutionary economic geography, for example, is still burdened by its neo-Schumpeterian (high-growth sector focus) heritage, this has been challenged conceptually (cf. Essletzbichler, 2012;MacKinnon, Cumbers, Pike, Birch, & McMaster, 2009) and even empirically in tourism (Brouder & Eriksson, 2013a, Larsson & Lindstr€ om, 2014Randelli, Romei, & Tortora, 2014). Alternative (tourism and non-tourism) development paths brought forth through community dissonance can be a creative, positive force for community development and need not be subsumed by a boosterist doctrine of economic development in places experiencing increasing tourism opportunities.…”