Innovative Tourism Partnership Models: The Case of Nautical Stations in Portugal and Spain

Introduction

Tourism activity is a fragmented industry based on small business enterprises, which makes it difficult for managers to control all components of the tourism system or all elements and stages of the decision process. This is a sector that has the capital, knowledge, and enough experience to be completely independent. So, by working together and in collaboration, it can overcome the difficulties that arise in the development of the tourism sector, which can be positive when opening new markets (Keller, 2008) or developing new products.

For some years now, particularly since the environmental impacts of tourism began to be take on more importance, partnerships and cooperation between the various tourism agents have moved into the spotlight. Cooperation networks are characterized by initial efforts between adjacent administrations to solve mutual problems. Stable relationships arise within regions and joint efforts are successful. This allows for transactions between public and private actors on an agreement basis (more or less formal), working together on developing solutions for problems and sharing a kind of equity in their relations (Vázquez-Barquero, 1995).

In the process of tourism development, both the resources and the capacities that affect a particular part of the tourism system may be spread among several stakeholders. It seems certain that a defined number of actors can work together if the chance of reaching the goals and creating new opportunities are seen to be clearer, and if they involve themselves in team work (Bramwell & Lane, 2000). It can be said that this reliance on resources and stakeholder interdependence means that there are mutual potential and collective benefits for working together (Gray, 1989 cited in Bramwell & Lane, 2000). Cooperation is well regarded as a strategy to strengthen tourism (Hall, 1999) and, in this sense, interactions at various levels are crucial (Goeldner & Ritchie, 2009). Policy, planning and sustainable development assume that they are conducted within a cooperative, joint organizational structure which results from mutual interaction between the public and private sector. This is truly relevant because these groups of actors control and operate a large number of tourist facilities. In fact, failure to consider these circumstances leads to an antagonistic and disjointed development process (Goeldner & Ritchie, 2009).

The authors of this study advocate that the previous rationale should be considered in the development of tourism products, as in the case of nautical tourism. Nautical tourism is a worldwide industry that is continuously developing and achieving good economic results, especially in the European and Pacific markets. However, according to some authors (e.g. Lukovic, 2013), it has not yet achieved its full potential and this is the time for developing new markets, new products, new ideas and new concepts based on the use of ICT (information and communications technology), particularly online platforms. The development of technology tools which are grounded on a strategy based on a cooperative and joint organizational structure could definitely be a distinguishing characteristic. Management and marketing tourism organizations should take this into account, especially in the case of Portugal where nautical tourism is considered to be a strategic product, “with a coastline of excellence, with potential for surfing - recognized worldwide - and other sports and nautical activities; vast marine biodiversity; natural and infrastructural conditions for tourist cruises. Portugal offers a combination of sun and sea with beaches (579) and marinas, ports and recreational docks (52) of recognized quality” (Turismo de Portugal, 2017, p. 49).