Managing relations in a learning model for bringing destinations in need of assistance into contact with good practice

The value of studying and learning from the good practices of others for destinations in need of assistance can hardly be debated. This paper examines conditions affecting study relations established between the Valencia Chambers of Commerce, Spain and the Kusadasi Chamber of Commerce, Turkey. These two were matched under the Turkish Chamber Development Programme of Eurochambres. The aim was to create a development initiative for solving Kusadasi's perceived problems in collaboration with local authorities in Kusadasi. The results demonstrate that managing such relations between organisations in tourist destinations is a complex and difficult task and relations do not exist in a vacuum. Study relations may be conditioned by several structural, situational and behavioural factors. Frequently mentioned conditions impinging on relations included distance, limited resources, meeting venue and location, lack of information sharing, experience and institutional capacity, administrative culture, language, staff continuity and level of representation, short-range time span, and existing form of local interorganisational relations (institutional jealousy, mistrust and scepticism). Implications of the study for future similar purposive networks are discussed.