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Living Labs are well suited for tourism destinations because they are user-centered and can involve different interest groups.
So far, there are only a few studies and practical examples of living labs in tourism.
Living Labs can help to overcome complex challenges in community-oriented tourism destinations.
Active user involvement, a real framework, a multi-stakeholder approach and co-creation are important.
Abstract of this book contribution
Innovation is a fundamental prerequisite for a future-oriented tourism business. In particular, innovation processes have become more open in recent years and collaborative approaches such as living labs support the solution of complex challenges by promoting the social interactions of stakeholders.
This chapter explains the basics of innovation research in tourism and discusses the potential of living labs in tourism as user-centered, open innovation ecosystems that use a co-creation approach and enable the testing of research and innovation processes in real communities and environments.
Living labs can be set up on a regional level with innovation and testing facilities in different tourism destinations. Based on a literature review, this paper develops a prototypical framework for living labs in community-oriented destinations.
Findings from this study
- Living labs are user-centered, open innovation ecosystems that are based on a systematic approach of user co-creation and integrate research and innovation processes in real communities and environments.
- Living labs typically include five components: active user involvement, real-world environment, multi-stakeholder approach, multi-method approach and co-creation.
- A living lab consists of four phases: Contextualization, Concretization, Implementation and Feedback Collection.
- Living labs could support community-oriented destinations in overcoming so-called "wicked problems". In a well-designed living lab, residents would not only be consulted and asked for feedback, but could also participate in the co-creation of new tourism products and services that also benefit residents.
- Innovation in tourism is not primarily driven by technological progress, but by changes in markets, tourist behavior and trends that require innovation.