Maintaining competitive tourism advantage with reference to the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area.

Business literature is replete with examples of industries that failed to adapt to emerging trends and lost competitive advantage (see Levitt, 1975 - historical examples). To maximise opportunities, industries must identify sources of competitive advantage, and adapt. Tourism (including recreation) is particularly vulnerable to a diversity of external forces that threaten competitiveness (climatic variability/change, residents’ attitudes, terrorism/crime). Australia’s main competitive tourism advantages are climate, natural environment, and wildlife. However, the basis of this advantage has been challenged. For example, the Blue Mountains, historically one of Australia’s best-known/popular tourist destinations has experienced a downturn in tourism and risks further decline. We use the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area (GBMWHA), Australia to highlight some destination tourism marketing issues