Smart Specialization for Smart Spatial Development: Innovative Strategies for Building Competitive Advantages in Tourism in Slovakia

Both Slovakia and many other countries have the potential to become attractive tourist destinations. Realising this potential is a real challenge, but innovation, smart specialization and building ʽsmartʼ competitive advantage provide opportunities to create new tourist destinations. This paper synthesizes theoretical and empirical research focused on competitive advantage, innovation and tourism and highlights their positive impact on smart and sustainable spatial development. Using those results it proposes an innovative approach to building competitive advantage in tourism.