Innovations, smart specialisation and regionalisation – key approaches to strengthening competitiveness in tourism

Competitive position of tourism industry and tourist destinations is a key issue for defining the tactical and strategic approach to the operations on the tourism market. Based on the results achieved and relevant indicators, the competitive position of Serbia as a tourist destination can be assessed as unsatisfactory, particularly on the international market. The paper emphasizes the importance of three key contemporary approaches to strengthening the tourism competitiveness. It is about a joint functioning of innovations and smart specialisation, and their influence which can be properly formulated within the selected region. Regions should designate the areas in which they have a competitive advantage, and should encourage and promote innovations in these areas, on the basis of smart specialisation. The process of Serbia’s accession to the European Union will also involve the harmonisation with the strategies and measures used within the EU in order to strengthen its competitiveness. Therefore, the timely review and coping with the key approaches to strengthening of tourism competitiveness, is an important step towards the comprehensive and serious approach to the creation of new and more sophisticated basis for improving the competitive position of Serbia on the international market.