Title: Empirical research of the potential benefits of a tourism product club as a model of stakeholder collaboration

Authors: Robert Ribarić; Christian Stipanović

Addresses: Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, University of Rijeka, Primorska 42, p.p. 97, 51410, Opatija, Croatia ' Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management, University of Rijeka, Primorska 42, p.p. 97, 51410, Opatija, Croatia

Abstract: The tourism product club is a novel and insufficiently studied model of stakeholder collaboration aimed at improving an existing tourism product, or developing a new one, through joint action. At the theoretical level, the extant body of scientific knowledge is analysed, positive practical examples are explored, and respondents' perceptions of the club's potential are presented. At the application level, 20 potential benefits from a tourism product club are studied based on the analysis of 158 valid questionnaires. The distribution of respondents covers two countries in the Mediterranean (the northern part of the Croatian coast and the littoral of Slovenia), in which the project 'Parenzana - The Route of Health and Friendship' is being carried out as a form of cross-border cooperation. Factor analysis has identified four basic stakeholders: tourism product club members, tourist, the tourist destination and local residents.

Keywords: tourism product club; collaboration; stakeholders; innovation; integrated tourism product; factor analysis; Parenzana.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIR.2018.096369

International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 2018 Vol.17 No.4, pp.477 - 493

Received: 29 Apr 2017
Accepted: 10 Sep 2017
Published online: 27 Nov 2018 *

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