Spatial competition and agglomeration in the visitor attraction sector

Abstract

This paper provides a theoretical and empirical contribution to understanding spatial competition by examining visitor attractions in two contrasting clusters of lower and higher levels of agglomeration of businesses in Cornwall, UK. The study found that competition is mainly for customers and labour and is related differently to the levels of agglomeration, spatial proximity and thematic product similarity between visitor attractions at the local compared with the regional scale. Location can be used differently for employing 'weak' and 'strong' competitive strategies. The study contributes to the knowledge on the spatiality of competition and the locational strategies of service businesses.