Tourism-planning network knowledge dynamics

This chapter explores the characteristics and functions of tourism networks as a first step in understanding how networks facilitate and reproduce knowledge. A framework to progress understandings of knowledge dynamics in tourism networks is presented that includes four key dimensions: context, network agents, network boundaries and network resources. A case study of the development of the Next Generation Tourism Handbook (Queensland, Australia), a policy initiative that sought to bring tourism and land use planning knowledge closer together is presented. The case study illustrates that the tourism policy and land use planning networks operate in very different spheres and that context, network agents, network boundaries and network resources have a significant influence not only on knowledge dynamics but also on the capacity of network agents to overcome barriers to learning and to innovate.