Tourism is a dynamic sector that requires cooperation of both the private and public sector. To this point arise the following questions: how to identify suitable ways to manage a sector that lacks a stable organisational structure and what management tools to apply. It is no longer questionable that management theories and strategic management theories are applicable not only in company management, but also in the management of various organisational entities with different legal forms and internal structures. Strategic management is an answer to the dynamically changing external environment. In the recent decades, the internal environment of all economic sectors has significantly changed, too. The development of strategic management has therefore gradually advanced from long-term planning to strategic planning and later to strategic thinking. In developed countries, this process has led to the transformation of business environment into the phase known as knowledge-based economy.

Positive outcomes of tourism policy in different countries in Europe and across the world demonstrate the successful application of strategic management in tourism theory and practice. Tourism policy has thus become a tool that enforces the application of strategic management with the foremost outcome – the strategy. Prior to strategy development are: mission formulation, objectives formulation, internal and external environment analysis, determination of strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities. These strategic management components are present in different documents of national or regional institutions with an influence on tourism management. Therefore, we have decided to pay particular attention to this field, in order to emphasize its factual significance in regard to a correct approach towards the specific strategy of tourism development.

Schools of thoughts and content of strategic management

The theory of strategic management principles was formulated as an answer to the existing managerial problems of large companies. These were in need to ensure stability not only through traditional, well-established tools and methods, but also in a long-term perspective. Globalization and internationalization have vigorously influenced rapid and dynamic changes of the external environment and have led to the advancement of competition into superb competition. The necessity to establish stability by implementing strategic management tools has become the most significant reaction towards dramatic changes of the external environment.