This document discusses cooperation among entrepreneurs in the tourism destination of Grossarltal, Austria. It finds that while cooperation works well sometimes, there is potential for improved cooperation through developing a common vision, goals, and information sharing. Developing maps of visitor flows could help entrepreneurs understand how guests experience the destination and identify opportunities to improve guest satisfaction through better cooperation along those flows. Making flows and opportunities for improvement accessible to all stakeholders could ultimately benefit both individual businesses and the destination as a whole.

1. Cooperationamong
entrepreneurs -
flows
Destination | Grossarltal
application of competitiveness of a
tourism destination mentioned by
Zehrer & Hallmann, 2015

2. ▪Key findings article
▪Destination | Grossarltal
▪Destination | Grossarltal – good cooperation
▪Destination | Grossarltal – potential
▪Destination | Grossarltal – potential BUT
▪Destination | Grossarltal – flows
▪Destination | Grossarltal – guests are the core
▪Destination | Grossarltal – What could be good
for the destination?
▪References
▪Disclaimer
Content

3. ▪Common vision, objectives and a well-planned
environment, common norms, common rules &
joint social structures
▪ Conceptual skills
▪ Problem-solving abilities
▪ Development of expertise
▪Interdependencies between the stakeholders
and the guests should have priority
▪Share knowledge and exchange information
within the entrepreneurs
Key findings article

4. Therefore more
▪Structured information exchange
▪Building of know-how within the destination
▪Better product and service development
▪Single stakeholders can benefit from the
common knowledge
▪Common projects can be easier implemented
Key findings article

5. ▪Winter: skiing, cross-country skiing, skitouring,
snowshoeing, winterhiking, relaxing, spa
▪Summer: hiking, mountaineering, biking,
relaxing
▪2 villages – Grossarl & Hüttschlag
▪Beds: 4,600 in Grossarl & 480 in Hüttschlag
▪Overnight stays
▪ Summer 2015: Grossarl 327, 869 & Hüttschlag 28,241
▪ Winter 2015/2016: Grossarl 382,331 & Hüttschlag 22, 143
Destination |
Grossarltal

6. ▪Common claim: „Tal der Almen“ – valley with
the most opened mountain huts in Salzburg in
summer
▪But no common strategic orientation
▪Everybody makes more or less their own thing
(family, hiking, biking, spa…)
▪No common vision
▪Less measurable objectives – no numbers what
should be reached for e.g. a campaign
Destination |
Grossarltal

7. ▪Sometimes cooperation among entrepreneurs
(in this case mainly hotels) works quite well
▪„Gastwirtevereinigung Grossarltal“ (association
of hoteliers)
▪Mainly reponsible for (operating) events
▪ Salzburger Bergadvent im Grossarltal
▪ Lady-Skiwoche
▪Infrastructure
▪Catering
▪A bit marketing, together with the DMO
Destination |
Grossarltal -
Good cooperation

8. ▪Create a common vision
▪Common goals
▪Common rules
▪Common norms
▪Joint social structures
▪Share knowledge
▪Exchange information
▪Measurement
Destination |
Grossarltal -
Potential

9. ▪Not every stakeholder can have the same goals
▪Not every stakeholder should have the same
guests
▪Diversity means safety = differentiated target
groups might compensate e.g. economic crisis
▪Differentiated guests come in various times
▪Differentiated guests have different
requirements
Destination |
Grossarltal -
Potential
BUT
Beritelli et al, 2015

10. ▪Identify flows (where guests go and what they
do)
▪Identify the good and the bad things on the
flow
▪Draw those flows
▪Make them accessible for everyone
▪Communicate those „visitor maps“
Destination |
Grossarltal -
Flows
Beritelli et al, 2015

11. ▪Entrepreneurs will recognize the good and the bad
things along the flow
▪They will improve their business if they recognize
that there is potential for their own business
▪They will communicate with other entrepreneurs
along the flow the improve this special flow (and
therefore their business)
▪They will cooperate with the other entrepreneurs
to improve „their“ flow
▪They will share their experience
▪They will therefore improve „their“ flows steadily
▪And if the DMO initiates the process and is
responsible for the maps, the entrepreneurs will
meet at the DMOs‘ place to talk to each other
Destination |
Grossarltal -
Flows
Beritelli et al, 2015

12. ▪As much as possible stakeholders should be
involved in the flow-identifying process
▪Not only the big bosses, but the people who
work daily with the guests
▪Communication is improved
▪Cooperation is improved
▪Collaboration is improved
▪Results should be improved for the single
stakeholders, the flows and furthermore for the
destination
Destination |
Grossarltal -
Flows
Beritelli et al, 2015

13. ▪If the flows are improved, the guests feel better
▪Take care about the guests
▪Make their holiday unique
▪Invest in well-being during their stay
▪Make them delighted
They will tell their friends and relatives
via WOM and eWOM which has very positive
impacts for the whole destination
Destination |
Grossarltal -
Guests are the core
Beritelli et al, 2015

14. ▪Process, where a lot of stakeholders are
involved
▪Knowing what the guests are really doing
▪Communication among the stakeholders (not
only hoteliers) and the DMO
▪Cooperation among the stakeholders (not only
hoteliers) and the DMO
▪Collaboration among the stakeholders (not only
hoteliers) and the DMO
Destination |
Grossarltal -
What could be good for
the destination?
Beritelli et al, 2015

15. ▪Sharing knowledge
▪Information exchange
▪Single entrepreneurs might profit
▪Whole destination might profit
▪Ongoing process where all the stakeholder can
always improve „their“ flows and bring ideas to
all the flows
▪Something „tangible“ for the whole destination
Destination |
Grossarltal -
What could be good for
the destination?
Beritelli et al, 2015

16. ▪Beritelli, P., REINHOLD, S., Laesser, C. & Bieger,
T. (2015). The St. Gallen Model for Destination
Management. St. Gallen: University of St.
Gallen.
▪Tourismusverband Grossarltal (2016). Retrieved
from http://www.grossarltal.info
▪Zehrer, A. & Hallmann, K. (2015). A stakeholder
perspective on policy indicators of destination
competitiveness. Journal of Destination
Marketing & Management, 4, pp. 120-126.
▪By the way: The author has been working for
the Tourismusverband Grossarltal since
September 2008.
References

17. The photos are taken from www.grossarltal.info
with permission of the DMO and from the
presentation of Pietro Beritelli.
Disclaimer