Previous research has demonstrated that a network model of destination value creation (i.e. the Destination Value System model) based on the flows of travelers within a destination can be used to estimate and predict individual attractions’ marginal contributions to total visitor expenditures. While development to date of the Destination Value System (DVS) has focused on the value created from dyadic relationships within the destination network, previous research supports the proposition that system-level network structures significantly influence the total value created within a destination. This study, therefore, builds upon previous DVS research in order to determine the relationships between system-level network structures and total value creation within a destination. To answer this question econometric analysis of panel data covering 43 Florida destinations over the period from 2007 to 2015 was conducted. The panel data was created utilizing volunteered geographic information (VGI) obtained from 4.6 million photographs shared on Flickr. Results of econometric analysis indicate that both seasonal effects and DVS network structures have statistically significant relationships with total tourism-related sales within a destination. Specifically, network density, network out-degree centralization, and network global clustering coefficient are found to have negative and statistically significant effects on destination value creation, while network in-degree centralization, network betweenness centralization, and network subcommunity count are found to have positive and statistically significant effects. Quarterly seasonality is also found to have dynamic and statistically significant effects on total tourism-related sales within a destination. Based on the network structures of destinations and total tourism related sales within destinations, this study also uses k-means cluster analysis to classify tourism destinations into a taxonomy of six different system types (Exploration, Involvement, Development I, Development II, Consolidation, and Stars). This taxonomy of DVS types is found to correspond to Butler’s (1980) conceptualization of the destination life cycle, and additional data visualization and exploration based on the DVS taxonomy finds distinct characteristics in destination structure, dynamics, evolution, and performance that may be useful for benchmarking. Additionally, this study assesses the quality of VGI data for tourism related research by comparing DVS network structures based on Flickr data and visitor intercept survey data. Support for the use of VGI data is found, provided that thousands of observations are available for analysis. When fewer observations are available, aggregation techniques are recommended in order to improve the quality of overall destination network system quantification. This research makes important contributions to both the academic literature and the practical management of destinations by demonstrating that DVS network structures significantly influence the economic value created within the destination, and thus suggests that a strategic network management approach is needed for the governance of competitive destinations. As a result, this study provides a strong foundation for the DVS model and future research in the areas of destination resiliency, “smarter” destination management, and tourism experience design. / Tourism and Sport

Skapandet av en destinations image och varumärke är idag en effektiv positioneringsstrategi. Destinationer lägger fokus på att skapa en attraktiv destination och därmed leverera ett värde till besökaren. Det finns däremot färre empiriska studier om hur samarbetet på en destinationer och hur ett multi-aktörsperspektiv spelar in i att skapa en attraktiv destination och därmed ett starkt varumärke. Det leder studien in på dess forskningsfråga: Hur samarbeten på en destination kan främja destinationsvarumärket? som också kommer besvaras med underfrågor: Hur Destination Management Organisations och aktörer skapar en dynamik och samverkan för att de ska samarbeta gentemot destinationens brand identity? och Hur aktörer förhåller sig till att arbeta gentemot destinationers gemensamma mål samtidigt som de beaktar egna intressen? Syftet med studien är att undersöka hur aktörer i Kalmar samverkar för att skapa en attraktiv destination och stärka dess varumärke, samt att skapa en större förståelse för hur samarbetet fungerar för att stärka varumärket. För att besvara studiens forskningsfråga har en kvalitativ metod använts med en deduktiv ansats. Studien bygger på intervjuer med sju respondenter från områden som anses relevanta för att besvara forskningsfrågan och uppnå syftet. En tematisk analys har genomförts för att se mönster i respondenternas svar. Dessa har sedan tolkats tillsammans med teorier som leder fram till vissa slutsatser. Slutsatser som kunnat dras i studien är att samarbetet på en destination kräver en organisation, möjligen en Destination Management Organisation, som kan samordna aktörerna och främja destinationsvarumärket. Studien har även visat på aktörernas egna vinning och att de fortfarande kan ta egna intressen i beaktning och ändå arbeta för destinationens mål och enhetliga varumärke. / The creation of a destination image and brand is an effective positioning strategy. Destinations focuses on creating an attractive destination and thereby delivering a value to the visitor. There are, fewer empirical studies on how the collaboration on a destination and how a multi-actor perspective plays into creating an attractive destination and thus a strong brand. This leads the thesis into its research question: How collaboration at a destination can promote the destination brand? Which will also be answered with these questions: How does Destination Management Organizations and actors create a dynamic collaboration in order for them to cooperate towards the destination brand identity? and: How actors relate to working towards destinations´ common goals while considering their own interests? The purpose of the thesis is to investigate how actors in Kalmar work together to create an attractive destination and strengthen its brand, and to create an increased understanding of how the collaboration works to strengthen the brand.

The aim of the thesis was a proposal to form a tourist information center and its location in the village of Tři Studně. Based on the analysis of supply and demand of the tourist destination offers a service that will provide visitors information center. For tourist information center have been proposed two alternatives. The first draft took advantage of the current meeting room of the Municipal Office at Tři Studně without modification, and it only added new equipment and technology . The second proposal is already associated with structural modifications of the room. Tři Studně are due to its abundant natural potential tourists visited in the summer and winter months. It forms one of the most Important Recreational Areas in Vysočina. Tři Studně in the TIC will be one of the most important elements of marketing communication of the village and its vicinity.

Destination management became the key to a successful development of tourism sector in the last decades. Its role is not only in enhancing the competitiveness of the country's tourism sector on the international market but also in maximazing the net benefits from tourism for the host country. These tasks are exceptionaly important in developing countries. These countries often have unique potential in the presence of tourism atractivities but lack the so needed resources for exploiting this potential. Low level of socio/economic and technological development further limits the market opportunities of developing countries. A natural part of the tourism sector is the local population. However, local inhabitants are often reduced to a tourist atraction and thus do not gain profits from tourism in their region. On the other hand, local people bear substantial costs induced by tourism activities. To avoid this situation, the destination management should seek for more equal participation of local inhabitants in the tourism sector. This thesis will conduct an analysis of destination management in three relatively successful countries of the Sub-Saharan Africa region: Kenya, Ghana and the Republic of South Africa. The tested hypothesis is that destination management has the power to actively affect the situation of local inhabitants with regard to tourism activities in their region. The analysis is conducted in two ways. First, the programming documents of responsible tourism authorities will be compared to the actual activities of this authorities. Second, the conducted activities will be contrasted with the curent situation and problems of the particular countries. The results will then be applied on Ethiopia which is one of the least developed countries in the world but has one of the biggest tourism potentials in the Sub-Saharan Africa region.

The main goal of this diploma thesis is to focus on destination management and analyse development potential, turism strategy and suggest further possibilities for tourism development in the Central Bohemia Region. The thesis is devided into theoretical and practical parts. The theoretical part is devoted to the explanation of basic concepts and deals with the topic of destination management. The practical part contents analysis of the Central Bohemia Region, turism strategy and the final evaluation of current situation and development potential of the region.

The main objective of this thesis is to approach the issue of management of destinations and to analyse the potential for development, the strategy for the development of tourism, and to propose more opportunities for the development of tourism in the Pardubice region. The work is divided into two parts - the practical and theoretical part. The theoretical section explains the basic concepts and discusses the issue of destination management. Practical part deals with a detailed analysis of the Pardubice region, strategies for the tourism development and the final evaluation of the current state including the developement potential of the region.

Syftet med denna uppsats är att kartlägga de nordiska nationella destinationsorganisationernas digitala nätverk och därefter analysera hur nätverket och de olika plattformarna används för att slutligen diskutera på vilket sätt det går att generalisera ett optimalt nyttjande av nätverk för destinationskommunikation. Frågor som som använts för att undersöka detta är: Hur ser de nordiska ländernas nationella destinationsorganisationers digitala nätverk ut? Hur har nätverkssamhällets trender influerat de nordiska ländernas nationella destinations- kommunikation? Nätverk och nätverkssamhälle är den teoretiska ram som undersökningen utgått från. Närmare bestämt är det Van Dijks teorier om de trender som finns i dagens nätverkssamhället som ligger till grund för undersökningen. Med turismbranschen och deras digitala nätverk som undersökningsobjekt var det även relevant att ta hänsyn till branschförutsättningar och det som förespråkas inom strategisk kommunikation för sociala medier. Metoden som använts för att genomföra studien är kvantitativ nätverks- och innehållsanalys. Studien visade att de nordiska nationella destinationsorganisationer följer nätverkssamhällets trender på många punkter samtidigt som det finns utrymme att utvecklas mer. De använder medvetet användargenererat innehåll, för dialog och har ett visuellt uttrycksätt. Nätverken skulle kunna ha en högre täthet och/eller utveckla den personliga anpassningen. Den koncentrationen av valda kanaler, innehåller de populära ”Big Three ” – Facebook, Twitter och YouTube. De nordiska länderna har goda förutsättningar för att vara i framkant med den nätbaserade kommunikationen då Internet används i hög grad i alla nordiska länder, vilket genererar en hög Internetmedvetenhet i dessa länder. Trots detta finns det inte en tydligt bild av att organisationerna använder sitt digitala nätverk optimalt utan variationerna i användandet ger utrymme för alla länder att hitta utvecklingsmöjligheter. / The purpose of this paper is to identify the Nordic national destination organizations' digital networks. After analyzing the network and the different platforms the result is used to discuss how we can generalize an optimal utilization of a destination network. Questions that were used for this this were: What does the Nordic countries' national destination organizations digital network look like? And, How has social networking trends influenced the Nordic countries' national destination communication? The theoretical framework that was used for this research was network analysis and the Network Society. Van Dijk's theory about the trends that exist in today's networked society was specifically used as base for this research. With the tourism industry and its digital network as a subject, it was also relevant to take into account the industry conditions and what is advocated within strategic communication for social media. The method used to conduct the study is quantitative network analysis and content analysis. The study showed that the Nordic national destination network society organizations follow the trends in many ways, but there is capacity to develop it even more. They consciously use user-generated content, converse and use visual content for expression. The networks could have a higher density and/or develop the idea of ”personalization” more. The concentration of selected channels, includes the popular "Big Three" - Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The Nordic countries are well placed to be at the forefront of the online communication as the Internet is widely used in all the Nordic countries, which generate a high Internet awareness in these countries. Despite this, there is not a clear picture of the organization using their digital network optimally. The variations of how the organizations use their networks shows that all of the countries can find opportunities for even more progress.

Thesis deals about cross-border cooperation, such a significant factor of regional development. This cooperation is oriented on the sphere of tourism, or rather destination management. This work analyses cross-border cooperation on the several levels. There is some new suggested project of cooperation as well.

Le tourisme a été généralement défini comme le voyage d'une personne à une destination pour y faire une escale avant de revenir à son milieu d'origine. La perception d'une destination est donc au centre de l’étude lors de l'examen de laproposition du tourisme expliqué dans le cadre de cette thèse. Mais la perception de la destination a aussi des caractéristiques très difficiles. Afin de vérifier cela, nous devons considérer ce que le marketing des professionnels et des chercheurs ont apporté. Metelka (1990, p.46) et Vukonic (1997) ont défini une destination comme “un lieu géographique où les gens peuvent séjourner », tandis que Gunn (1994) explique une destination comme une zone géographique "suffisamment développé pour répondre aux objectifs de voyageurs" (Gunn, 1994, p.27). De ce point de vue, les destinations touristiques peuvent être associées soit à un pays ou soit à un (ou plusieurs) région, une ville ou des sites touristiques ; la destination est une notion géographique ou spatiale qui est d'abord définie par ses propres visiteurs. Dans la condition où le lieu n’est pas familier au touriste, l'endroit ne peut pas être considéré comme destination. Cependant, de nombreuses questions sont abordées dans la présente thèse pour comprendre comment une place peut devenir ensuite une destination, ainsi que les implications de cette transformation. / Firstly, tourism has been defined as a journey of an individual to a destination for a stopover, then return to his/her origin environment. The perception of a destination is therefore at a centre, considering the tourism proposition explained here. Above and beyond this, the perception of a destination also has significantly difficult characteristics. To verify this, we have to consider what marketing professionals and researchers bring to it. Metelka (1990, p.46) describes a destination as "the geographic location to which someone travels." Vukonic (1997) also relates the term to that factor whereas Gunn (1994) explains a destination is recognised by the travel market as a geographical area "sufficiently developed to meet the objectives of travellers" (Gunn, 1994, p.27). From this standpoint, tourist destinations may have the scope of being a country or (one or more) region, city or an exact site. The destination is a geographical or spatial notion that is first definedby its visitors. In the condition that no stranger visits a place, that place cannot be deliberated as a destination. This image gives the impression of asserting the obvious. However, many issues are discussed in this paper for a place tosubsequently become a destination, as well as the implications of this transformation.

The main aim of the dissertation was an identification of the role of a company on the horizontal and vertical level in the tourism management on the basement of analysis of subjects involved in the destination management. The aim of the work was also to propose a system model of tools and measures that will lead to an efficient participation of a destination management company on the management of a tourism destination and to increase of the efficiency of a company in tourism. The simulation model and the scenarios of the future development of the tourism destination, which are presented in the dissertation, create a value added above the main aim of the dissertation. The main methodological approach, which was used in the dissertation, was system dynamics. This method helped to reveal the complexity of a tourism system and to identify the connections among a number of stakeholders in the destination. The partial aim of the dissertation was also a comparison of the regions of South Bohemia and Upper Austria as tourism destinations. Not only the essential tourism indicators and figures, but also the systems of the destination management and a role of a destination management company were compared. The data from the above mentioned comparison were used in the proposed system dynamic model that simulates behaviour of the tourism destination represented by the Region of South Bohemia.