Diapositiva 1

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Competence Research Center in Tourism
Measuring Competitiveness ICT as an innovation
tool
Breda, April 23rd 2009
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Outline

• Introduction
• Tourism and Innovation
• Diagnosis of innovation in the Basque Country
• Implications and conclusions

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Outline

• Introduction
• Tourism and Innovation
• Diagnosis of innovation in the Basque Country
• Implications and conclusions

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Introduction

• Tourism as a complex industry
• Diversity of companies and agents within the
  value chain

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Introduction

• Product has special characteristics stemming from
  its nature
• Intangible
• Interconnection among agents within the Value
  Chain.
• The Basque Country gaining a name as a quality
  destination
• Strategic sector with a great potential
• ICTs incorporated into tourism
• Within management activities
• As a tool to provide innovative services and
  products

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Introduction - Objective

• Innovation as a way to improve the degree of
  competitiveness of the Basque Tourism sector
• Innovation and Technology to support the
  development and maintenance of competitiveness
• ICT as a mean to improve global sustainability
• Use of a diagnose that could be used to ground
  the design of a competitiveness plan for the
  tourism sector.

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Outline

• Introduction
• Tourism and Innovation
• Diagnosis of innovation in the Basque Country
• Implications and conclusions

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Tourism and Innovation

• What does innovation mean?
• Originally idea of creation within a research
  and development framework policy
• Today it is part of the culture of any
  organization
• It is an emerging area of study
• There are various definitions of the notion of
  innovation
• The European Council of Lisbon the renewal and
  enlargement of a range of products and services
  associated markets the establishment of new
  methods of production, supply and distribution
  the introduction of changes in management, work
  organization and in the working conditions and
  skills of the workforce.

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Tourism and Innovation

• Innovation vs. Technology
• Technological innovation is NOT the only way to
  innovate
• Technology is NOT essential either to pursue
  innovation
• However, scientific research and technological
  development usually lead to innovation processes
• Travel and Tourism industry
• Major industry in the world
• According to UNWTO and WTTC
• More than 900 million international arrivals
• More than 230 million jobs
• More than 10 of the global GDP

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Tourism and Innovation

• Technology has greatly impacted on the Travel and
  Tourism industry
• However, tourism lags behind other industries
  both in the adoption of IT applications and in
  innovation initiatives
• Examples of IC-based tourism products
• Innovation is more than creating a Web Site
• Innovation and ICTs are key concepts to establish
  a framework for analysis in the Basque Country

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Tourism and Innovation

• The Framework analyses innovation through
• 14 application areas
• Identifying specific tools, patterns, systems or
  technical solutions for each area of innovation
• Obtaining information about the methods followed
  by companies in order to integrate innovation in
  their organizations and general management
• Detailed study about companies perception about
  themselves and about their degree of innovation.

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Outline

• Introduction
• Tourism and Innovation
• Diagnosis of innovation in the Basque Country
• Implications and conclusions

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Diagnosis of innovation in the Basque Country

• Collected information from each of the
  organizations approached has been classified
  according the following criteria
• Information about characteristics potentially
  related to technological innovation size,
  demand, segment, use rate, etc.
• Information about innovation in the last two
  years measured in terms of technology adoption
• Information related to technological and
  non-technological innovation
• Abilities to successfully implement innovation
  initiatives
• Motivations and difficulties found
• Degree of newness and impact obtained

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General Data

• Sample

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Major Innovation areas

• Objective to identify tools, patterns, systems
  or technological solutions defined for each
  innovation area.
• Innovation areas

• Product Innovation
• Process Innovation
• Trade Innovation
• Marketing Innovation
• Organization and Mng. Inn
• ICT innovation
• Security, Control innovation

• Maintenance Innovation
• Environmental Innovation
• Sensors Innovation
• Automation and Robotics
• Alimentary Innovation
• Cleaning and laundry inn.
• Gardening Innovation
• Other

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Results Product Innovation

• Product Innovation in the Basque Country

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Results Process Innovation

• Process Innovation in the Basque Country

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Results Trade Innovation

• Trade Innovation in the Basque Country

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Results Marketing Innovation

• Marketing Innovation in the Basque Country

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Results Organization Innovation

• Organization Innovation in the Basque Country

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Results Environmental Innovation

• Environmental Innovation in the Basque Country

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Results Security and Control Innovation

• Security and Control Innovation in the Basque
  Country
• Techniques to predict accidents risk analysis,
  computer-based evacuation, assistance, etc.
• Interest has been found in general security
  systems
• Interest is about 25

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Results ICT Innovation

• ICT Innovation in the Basque Country
• eMail important or very important
• All companies approached had their own Web Sites
• Very few agents not being present somehow in the
  Web

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Results Conclusions

• Sector eager to implement ICTs as a way to
  increase competitiveness
• Most agents agree on the fact that Innovation and
  technolgy can
• Contribute to development of the sector
• Contribute to sustainability of the sector

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Results Improvement areas (I)

• Need of comprehensive management in the tourism
  sector
• Recognition of the social, environmental and
  economic role of tourism
• Improvement to access and management of tourism
  information
• Exploitation of cultural and natural assets

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Results Improvement areas (II)

• Increase of training of professionals within the
  sector
• ICTs to improve the access to distribution
  networks and value chains

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Results Oportunities and Challenges
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Outline

• Introduction
• Tourism and Innovation
• Diagnosis of innovation in the Basque Country
• Implications and conclusions

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Implications and conclusions

• There is a need to work from two different
  approaches
• Innovation policies
• Scientific and technologic policies
• Technological innovation in tourism supported by
  projects that link technology and tourism
• Support innovation through specific projects to
  improve competitiveness the Basque tourism
  sector ought to be a reference for this in Europe

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Implications and conclusions

• Cooperation among agents to define policies and
  strategies
• Meeting points for agents
• Reinforce surveillance activities
• Enhance information of public funding for these
  purposes, e.g. an official Web site, etc.
• Improve training in tourism at all levels

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Competence Research Center in Tourism
Measuring Competitiveness ICT as an innovation
tool
Breda, April 23rd 2009