Online networking behaviour of tourism stakeholders in a multi-destination region: A hyperlink network analysis

Abstract

Inter-organisational networking, essential for enhancing tourist destinations' performance, is often underutilised, resulting in low-density networks. To develop precise strategies for managing connectivity, it is crucial to examine stakeholders' networking behaviours – how they connect to a destination network and contribute to its structural formations within and beyond their sectors and geographic locations. This study looks at online networking forms that are qualitatively different from interpersonal contacts among organisational members. Specifically, it focuses on hyperlink networking, given its significance for the visibility of organisations and the overall destination and the credibility of tourism websites. Using social network analysis, this research identifies diverse online networking behaviours related to involvement in networking activities, link-placing and link-receiving, connections with similar and dissimilar actors, and community formation of tourism stakeholders across different sectors within a multi-destination region. The network is characterised by assembling behaviour, where many actors are connected to the network by other organisations rather than by their own linking activity. The study confirms organisations’ low involvement in networking and significant imbalances in their activities. It highlights how imbalances arise in the conjuncture of various sectors, each having a distinct role in uneven link allocation. Destination management organisations are key connectors and mediators but struggle to establish high-density within-sector connections. Public domain-related sectors are generally more active in networking than private ones. Intersectoral connections, rather than within-sector connections, are the major source of links for sectors. Stakeholders tend to connect more with actors from the same geographic area.