Purpose This paper aims to provide an original body of work that presents and discusses the theory that destination leadership is about proactively shaping the future development of destinations and territories. This is the second part of the special issue of Tourism Review on destination...

Purpose – This special issue of Tourism Review provides an original body of work that complements existing research on tourist destinations, and offers an opportunity for tourism research to contribute to broader leadership theorizing. Design/methodology/approach – This editorial...

This original body of work uses and advances leadership theories that are particularly suited to inter-organizational contexts, such as distributed and systemic leadership. It also illustrates that destination leadership needs to be treated and understood in relationship to governance...