Contemporary Challenges in Destination Planning: A Geographical Typology Approach

This paper aims to outline a framework for reviewing the issues faced by tourism destination planning in the 21st century. This paper documents the use of tourism destination typologies as a framework for policy analysis and as a basis for decision making. The main research hypothesis of this study is that typologies based on, or primarily focused on, geographical dimensions have historically been the appropriate framework for strategic planning. This study proposes the use of a basic geographical typology, according to which destinations are categorized into urban, island, coastal, and mountainous. This paper refers to the evolution, key features, and challenges faced by each type of destination. Through a review of international best practices, this study maps out the fundamental objectives, developmental patterns, and strategies for each geographical type of destination, offering valuable insights for future research. Emphasis is given to contemporary trends in tourism planning in the first few decades of the 21st century.