Toward an Integrative Conceptual Framework of Destinations

Destinations are a fundamental focus of much tourism research. How we conceptualize and frame destinations is critical not only for the research that we do but also for practical matters such as destination management and marketing. To date, however, work on the conceptual and theoretical foundations of destinations has been fragmented, incomplete, and without much general sense of direction. Through a wide-ranging review, this paper seeks to develop an integrative conceptual framework of destinations by systematically identifying and then synthesizing the key elements of five major sets of concepts used to depict and analyze destinations: industrial districts, clusters, networks, systems, and social constructs. A set of recurring elements is identified, grouped under three major dimensions—geographic, mode of production, and dynamic—and presented in an initial integrative framework. Issues of extending and operationalizing the framework are outlined and the implications for destination management discussed.