Title: Research note: destination decision-makers: developing a strategic orientation scale

Authors: Solveig Garnes; Gro Ellen Mathisen

Addresses: Norwegian School of Hotel Management, University of Stavanger, 4036 Stavanger, Norway ' Norwegian School of Hotel Management, University of Stavanger, 4036 Stavanger, Norway

Abstract: This study presents the development of a scale for measuring directors of tourist organisations' strategic orientation. Focus group interviews were conducted to identify different orientations, followed by a survey to further assess the measurement. Factor Analysis revealed two factors: 1) holistic orientation towards the destination, the collaborative organisation and its goals; 2) stakeholder orientation towards specific groups or interests. The strategic orientation scale provides an instrument for measuring the bi-dimensional relationship between benefits to individual businesses and those to the destination as a whole, generating valuable knowledge for managing collaborative organisations and for further studies of collaborative planning in tourism.

Keywords: destinations; decision makers; policy makers; strategic orientation; tourism; collaborative planning; tourism policy; governance; collaboration; board of directors; collaborative organisations; tourist organisations; decision making; policy making; stakeholders.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTP.2012.049717

International Journal of Tourism Policy, 2012 Vol.4 No.3, pp.261 - 271

Received: 30 Apr 2011
Accepted: 13 Feb 2012
Published online: 14 Nov 2014 *

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