The tourism industry, as one of the main drivers of creative economy, gains more importance in growth policies both at national and regional levels. However traditional tourism destinations now face a more competitive environment, for an increased number of possible destinations have emerged. This environment is further deepened by an increase in the number of products and services available to the preferences of visitors.

Therefore new tourism policies, unlike traditional strategies, should aim to increase the competitiveness of the local through supporting increased quality of experience and promoting innovation in tourism services. Based on the workshop organized by Regional Studies Association Research Network on "Tourism, Regional Development and Public Policy" in Izmir, Turkey, this book introduces, motivates and examines diversities in the tourism industry from a regional development perspective. The papers in this book cover various case studies from different country experiences. The views expressed in these articles promise to improve our understanding of tourism in a new aspect that goes beyond the mass tourism mentality.

This book was originally published as a special issue of European Planning Studies.

1. Tourism, Regional Development and Public Policy:Introduction to the Special Issue, Ne¿e Kumral, A. ¿lem ¿der.  2. From local promotion towards regional tourism policies:Knowledge process and actor networks in North Jutland, Denmark, Pennie F. Henriksen, Henrik Halkier.  3. Culinary Tourism as a tool for regional re-equilibrium, Armando Montanari, Barbara Stanisca. 4. Working on the other side, cooperative tour organizers and uncooperative hoteliers: evidence from Greek Cypriot tourism professionals, Craig Webster. Bernard Musyck Stelios Orphanides, David Jacobson.5. Public policies and development of the tourism industry in the Aegean region, Yaprak G¿lcan, Department of Economics, Faculty of Business, Dokuz Eylul University, Turkey, Ye¿im Kuu¿tepeli Department of Economics, Faculty of Business, Dokuz Eylul University, Turkey, Sedef Akg¿ng¿r Department of Economics, Faculty of Business, Dokuz Eylul University, Turkey.  6. An empirical analysis of the determinants of international tourism demand: the case of Izmir, A. ¿lem ¿der, Aykan Candemir.

Ne¿e Kumral is Professor of Economics and Head of the Economics Department at Ege University, Turkey.

A. ¿lem ¿der is Professor of Economics at Ege University, Turkey.