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Tourism clusters as a benefit… 47
Cunha and Cunha 20 stress that tourism clusters generally can include: a) a set
of tourist attractions that draw non-resident attention; b) the concentration of tourism
service companies: restaurants, accommodation, transport services, crafts, travel
agencies etc.; c) sectors providing support to tourism services; d) suitable and
low-cost infrastructure (roads, energy, sanitation, health services, etc.); e) companies
and institutions that provide specialized qualification, information and financial
capital; f) intern agents organized into class associations; g) government agencies
and other regulating bodies that impact tourism agglomerations.
Jackson and Murphy 21 have stated the main characteristics of clusters. The
authors believe that tourism cluster should present following characteristics:
firms’ interdependence or „complementarities” as stated by M.E. Porter 22 ,
flexible firm boundaries, by this understanding also temporal, spatial and
functional flexibility 23 ,
cooperative competition,
trust in sustained collaboration,
community culture and supportive public policies, where government support
is focused more on improving the business environment,
understanding of ethics,
private sector leadership,
wide involvement of cluster participants, incorporating in the cluster all industries
and institutions,
institutionalization of relationships, emphasizing on people and management.
The most important question is why it would be necessary to be in the cluster
– what kind of benefits will have local municipality and enterprises themselves.
Porter expresses the view that regions which have established clusters develop more
successfully than others do (M. Porter 2003) 24 . From the works of several authors
(M. Porter, A. Klepers, S. Nordin 25 etc.) it is possible to conclude, that main benefits
from clusters are:
increased efficiency,
company growth in terms of product quality,
growth of technological and organizational know-how,
create economies of scale,
20
Ibidem.
21
J. Jackson, P. Murphy, op.cit., pp. 36–52.
22
M.E. Porter, op.cit., pp. 77–90.
23
A.M. Hjalager, Tourism destinations and the concept of industrial districts, “Tourism
and Hospitality research”, Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 199–213.
24
M. Porter, The Economic Performance of Regins, “Reginal Studies”, No. 37, pp. 549–
578.
25
S. Nordin, op.cit.