Professor Henrik Halkier Aalborg University, Denmark [email protected] Aspects of regional change FOOD, TOURISM, AND THE RESILIENCE OF LOCAL VISITOR ECONOMIES

Professor Henrik HalkierAalborg University, Denmark

[email protected]

Aspects of regional changeFOOD, TOURISM, ANDTHE RESILIENCE OF

LOCAL VISITOR ECONOMIES

Professor Henrik HalkierAalborg University, Denmark

[email protected]

Aspects of regional changeFOOD, TOURISM, ANDTHE RESILIENCE OF

LOCAL VISITOR ECONOMIES

1. Path dependency and development of regions and tourist destinations

2. Cross-sectoral synergies: Food and tourism in North Jutland and Suffolk

3. Resilient local visitor economies: North Jutland recovering from the crisis?

4. Concluding remarks

PATH DEPENDENCY AND CHANGERegions and destinations

From path dependency as (negative) lock-in…System of institutions maintaining direction (Martin/Sunley 2006, Howlett/Rayner 2006)

Firms, regulation, actor behaviour, discourseSudden change, from outside system (Martin/Sunley 2014, Martin 2010, Mahoney 2000)

Changes in demand and competition

… towards less rigid pathsCo-existence of institutions in regions (Martin/Sunley 2014, Hassink 2010)

Plasticity of institutions (Strambach 2010, Strambach/Halkier 2013)

Path creation as contextualised strategic action (Karnøe/Garud 2012)

Henrik Halkier – [email protected]

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PATH DEPENDENCY AND CHANGERegions and destinations


(Butler 1980)

(Ma/Hassink 2013, based on Martin 2010)

Importance of accounting for:

Development of individual institutions (drift/conversion) (Mahoney/Thelen 2010,

Martin 2010, Hassink 2010) Complex interaction of institutions

(layering/displacement)

Role of agency/actors in continuity and change (Schneiberg 2007, Karnøe/Garud 2012)

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Source: Henrik Halkier & Anette Therkelsen: Breaking out of Tourism Destination Path Dependency? Exploring the Case of Coastal Tourism in North Jutland, Denmark, German Journal of Economic Geography, 57, 1-2

Actor groups and institutions in destination development.

RECONCEPTUALISINGTOURIST DESTINATIONS


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Seaside maturity in North Jutland, Denmark

TIES THAT BIND

Families with kids, nature-based, seasonal, neighbouring markets

Civil ownership/co-use, life-style entrepreneurs, monopolitistic rental bureaus

National ownership, planning restrictions

Automobile, self-catering, week-based

Marketing

Multi-level sectoral policy network, uneven local priority

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No-kid high-spenders, +culture, short breaks

Cross-sectoral networks, new transport links?

1. CONVERSION: Flexible planning

2. DRIFT: Innovation and coordination

LAYERING:Flying in?

LAYERING:Re-branding

2: Uneven local change

1: More dull, reinforcing

Seaside maturity in North Jutland, Denmark

TOWARDS A NEW PATH?

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SUMMING UPMaturity, thinness and economic change

Case study conclusionsContinued dominance of existing institutions

Civil ownership of accommodation Visitor perceptions of ‘a summer place’

‘Thinness’ of innovative initiatives

Wider perspectivesUsefulness of evolutionary perspective for study of tourism destinationsUnderlines role of cultural values/institutions in regional developmentNeed for continued conceptual debate about less rigid paths

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CROSS-SECTORAL SYNERGIESFood and tourism in North Jutland and

Suffolk

From tempting prospects of synergy … tourists will eat anyway food experience add to attraction of destination local food an exotic quality boost local food production directly/indirectly

… to international destination food brand attractions of regional food communicated to visitors regional food experiences demanded by visitors regional food experiences must be produced regional food made accessible to visitors

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Food practices FEEDING TOURISTS FOOD TOURISM

Eating Sustenance Experience

Cooking Generic Place specific

Retailing National Localized

Producing Standardized Specialized

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Suffolk

Food tourismchange strategies

Primary policy target

Food Tourism

Main level of intervention

Firm-level Innovating Developing experience

Destination

Localising consumption

Promoting image

Conceptualising economic development strategies Contextual drivers (destination branding, boost local food production, food scares) Available resources (tourism/food, public/private) Change strategies (aims, targets)

(Halkier 2006, Dredge & Jenkins 2007)

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Suffolk

Two case studies: North Jutland (DK), Suffolk (UK)Coastal destinations with rural hinterlandsFood tourism ambitions, no ‘magnificent culinary heritage’

Suffolk – wheat/barley, poultry, pork, vegetables North Jutland – grain, milk, pork, seafood

Interviews with producers, retailers, restaurants, policymakers

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Suffolk

Food tourism in North Jutland and SuffolkFINDINGS: RESOURCES

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Food tourism in North Jutland and SuffolkFINDINGS: DRIVERS AND STRATEGIES

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Food tourism in North Jutland and SuffolkSUMMING UP

Strategies focus on Changes visible to visitors: branding, events, menus, (diversification)New temporality (outside main season)NOT localising food chain

Strategic differences reflectPerceived/experienced intensity of demandDegree of availability of local food (producers, retailers)Alternatives to diversification for small farmers (wage labour)Dominant political agendas: Tourism (DK) versus foo (UK)(National) preferences for particular policy instruments (networks vs grants)

Long-term strategic weaknessesLimited funding for promotion/DMOs (UK)Limited addressing of production/distribution density (DK)Weak combination of branding AND development in sector-based governance (DK/UK)

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Resilient local visitor economies in North Jutland

RECOVERING FROM THE CRISIS?

Regional and local strategies focusing on Increase visitor spendingExtend season seasonInnovation rather than marketing

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KlitmøllerRecently emerging destinationActive engagement with natureOngoing skirmishes between local stakeholders

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SkagenTraditional upmarket destination/day visitorsPassive gazing on nature and cultureWell-functioning and innovative DMO




Klitmøller (Thisted overnights)Initial German resilience, then slumpVery limited Danish recoveryGrowing local surfing community

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Skagen (Frederikshavn overnights)International recovery (esp. non-German)Limited extension of season

Commercial overnight stays. Overnight stays per year.Source: Statistics Denmark StatBank.




A different kind of recovery?Uneven recovery in overnightsClear recovery in economic activityMoving towards better-off visitorsLocal resilience through growth of domestic tourism?

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Economic activity associated with tourists staying in commercial accommodation by locality. Million DKK, current prices. Source: VisitDenmark’s tourist satellite accounts 2008ff .


CONCLUDING REMARKS

Key aspects of regional changeDevelopment of individual institutionsComplex interactions of institutions Role of agency/actors in continuity and change Wider spatial/international context

Policy implicationsImportance of re-thinking the ‘taken for granted’Transition from ‘paper synergies’ to ‘real-world change’ unevenPolicies can be path dependentProducer-driving policies may ignore markets/competitors

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FURTHER READINGS

Henrik Halkier and Anette Therkelsen (2013) Breaking out of Tourism Destination Path Dependency? Exploring the Case of Coastal Tourism in North Jutland, Denmark. German Journal of Economic Geography 57: 39-51.

Laura James and Henrik Halkier (2015) Regional development platforms and related variety: exploring the changing practices of food tourism in North Jutland, Denmark. European Urban and Regional Studies.

Henrik Halkier and Laura James (2015) Destination Dynamics, Path Dependency and Resilience: Regaining Momentum in Danish Coastal Tourism Destinations, in Patrick Brouder et al. (eds.) Tourism Evolutionary Geography, Routledge.

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Documents

Professor Henrik Halkier Aalborg University, Denmark [email protected] Aspects of regional change FOOD, TOURISM, AND THE RESILIENCE OF LOCAL VISITOR ECONOMIES