Building Regional Competitive Advantage and Liveability through Leisure

There is currently a significant gap in academic literature examining the benefits of leisure as a driver for the development of communities, especially when discussing the value of social capital developed through leisure. Leisure and social capital research fields do not yet have a common discourse.

There are few examples of public policy innovations incorporating social capital and leisure. Most public policies surrounding leisure provision appear to be 'needs driven' so this paper looks at the opportunity side of leisure public policy. Why not look at an 'assets driven' approach for competitive advantage through leisure? Can rural and regional areas compete with the world's most liveable cities and attract skilled people by enhancing their own unique assets and social structures?

This paper presents research in progress analysing the contribution of leisure to the stock of social capital and canvasses the role and agency of local government.