The assessment of local, regional or national impacts of an influx of tourists - of different kind and origin - has in recent years become a new challenge for economics research in the tourism sector. There is a clear need to develop solid methodologies through which the socio-economic impacts...

Introduction -- PartI: Economic Growth in a Knowledge - Based Economy -- Part II: Globalisation, Competitiveness and Growth -- Part III: The Role of Public Policies in Fostering Innovation, Competitiveness and Growth