Networks in tourism planning: stakeholders’ perceptions of an astrotourism project

Abstract

The present research aims to listen to a group of stakeholders and the different territorial visions, proposing the creation of a new cooperation model that simultaneously serves the needs of the Tua Valley region and the expectations of its actors and contributes to the success of the Tua Valley Regional Natural Park's Astrotourism Project. Eight representatives of regional organisations were interviewed to ascertain their vision of networks, their involvement in any similar cooperation system, ways these entities operate within them and networks' advantages and disadvantages. The interviewees were also asked about their potential contributions and predictions in relation to the creation of a new collaborative network in the surrounding inland region. The results reveal that most stakeholders are familiar with this organisational concept as they have already integrated similar models into their operations, and the interviewees outlined the associated advantages and difficulties. These stakeholders support the development of a new Tua Valley network, in which must rely on a culture of sharing and mutual trust to meet its members and the region's needs and reflect their specificities. The findings can be used to foster new synergies based on the quintuple helix model, serving as a starting point for further research on networks in tourism and contributing to the enrichment of the relevant existing literature.