This document discusses how territories can approach changes in tourism. It argues that strategic visitor flows (SVFs), which are localized, predictable, and significant in number, are the most useful way for destinations to manage and market tourism. SVFs are the basic unit of tourism management. The more numerous and varied the SVFs in a place, the healthier the tourism system. Destinations should focus on providing good experiences for visitors rather than directly trying to lead or coordinate tourism, as leadership in the sector is often distributed and decentralized.

1. How territories may approach tourism changes?
Venezia, April, 19th 2016
Paolo Grigolli - Scuola di Management del Turismo
tsm – Trentino School of Management

2. Entrare nell’opera
Giovanni Anselmo, 1971

3. Entrare nell’opera
Giovanni Anselmo, 1971
Sightfeeling not only sightseeing

4. The Artist is Present
Marina Abramovic, Moma-New York, 2010

5. Entrare nell’opera
Giovanni Anselmo, 1971
Experience as status symbol

6. Self Portrait
Michelangelo Pistoletto, 1962-1963

7. Following the traces…

8. I flussi di visitatori di una destinazione
Family
Active holidays
Art and Culture
From cluster to tourist flows

9. Strategic Visitor Flows are:
• localizable
• repetitive and relatively foreseeable
• significant in numbers
• have their own demand-supply mechanism
• have their own dynamics and lifecycles
• create business opportunities
• can be influenced by the supply
• can be analyzed and – if necessary – managed/commercialized
Strategic Visitor Flows (SVFs) are currently the most useful
approach to effectively manage and market a destination.
SVFs:
SVF is the basic unit of management in a tourist destination
The more numerous, multifaceted, and diversely founded SVFs are, the
healthier the tourism systems in a place.

10. Tourist destinations are nothing less and nothing more than the
(repeated) activation of demand and supply networks
Supply networks Demand networks
Portals
Market
mavens
System
heads
influence/ drive/
reinforce the flows. They are
the ants with the strong
pheromone, the majors.
It is due to system heads that
flows arise. They are the
tasty pieces of food that
attract the ants

11. We are dealing with a new perspective on tourism
SIMPLIFICATION FACT
Tourism = hotels
 Visitors don’t just come to a destination for sleeping and day tourism plays an
important role, too
 Tourism = attract foreign visitors  Yes, but value creation in tourism must consider locals and people from the
region, too
"We have so many unique things to offer (landscape,
culture…). We just need to become more popular/increase
notoriety.”
 Destinations that have nothing particular (to visit) will hardly identify any
existing visitor flows
 We have to work on the structures/ organizations (e.g.,
DMOs). We need central coordination and leadership.
 Brands, brands. We need strong destination brands
 We cannot «lead» tourism, just as we cannot change society. At best, we
provide better stages for experiences. In reality, leadership is often distributed
(not shared) and decentralized.
 The experience is the real «product». Hence, based on the manifold
experiences (cf. SVFs), the brand content is always different. In consequence,
there are many different experiential brands in the same place/region/country.
 Cooperation strengthens tourism  Cooperation and solidarity among the suppliers is important only if it makes
sense from a business perspective
 The more offers we develop, the more likely we will attract
visitors
 Visitors «co-produce» their experiences. At best, suppliers can set the
«stage» for these experiences

12. TOURISTsustainability
management
scenario
markets
policies
enterprises
mobility
territory
Key word
strategy

13. Thank you for your attention!
paolo.grigolli@tsm.tn.it