International Journal of Research in Tourism and Hospitality (IJRTH) Volume 4, Issue 1, 2018, PP 64-74 ISSN 2455-0043 http://dx.doi.org/10.20431/2455-0043.0401008 www.arcjournals.org International Journal of Research in Tourism and Hospitality (IJRTH) Page|64 The Formation of Maritime Tourism (Yachting) Cluster as a Vehicle for Competitiveness Improvement: The Greek Case Angelliki Pardali 1 , Theodora Giantsi 2,* 1 Professor, Department of Maritime Studies, University of Piraeus, Piraeus 18534, Greece 2 Postgraduate Student, Department of Maritime Studies, University of Piraeus, Piraeus 18534, Greece 1. INTRODUCTION Cluster is a concept that covers a wide range of various business structures dominated by geographic proximity. According to Porter (1990), industrial clusters are regionally concentrated, inter-linking companies and institutions within a specific field of action. Rosenfeld (1995) considers that these companies create together a comparative advantage benefitting not only themselves but the whole of the host economy. The geographic concentration of companies covered by the cluster is mainly determined by the geographic area in which the cooperation between companies / organizations is developed but does not exclude cooperation between companies / entities outside the business cluster. By adopting the De Langen (2003 and 2004) interpretation, we can define the business cluster as a population of business units, associations and private or public organizations (institutions), operating around a distinct economic specialization (in this case the maritime tourism) and characterized by their geographic concentration and their reciprocal relations. In any case, the mutuality of relationships and the cooperation between the members of the cluster is the fundamental rationale behind the cluster’s formation. These fundamental relationships can be either vertically connected cooperation or competitive correspondences within the business cluster (Ebbekink M., 2010). The aim of the cluster operation is to develop multiplying character synergies between the associate companies, so that the companies through collective actions achieve results that would be impossible to achieve independently (Porter M., 1998, Delgado, Μ. et al. 2010). As it concerns Greece, the establishment of a maritime tourism cluster is expected to contribute at the economic expansion of the country (Pardali A., Miliaraki M., 2006), contributing to the promotion of the Greek islands, bringing revenue to the country, and creating jobs. (Chen et al., 2016) Abstract: This paper presents an innovative organizational structuring of the Greek Marine Tourism Industry (yachting) that coordinates its main developmental core of marinas and ports with the regional economic forces and advantages, in the principles of sustainability and growth. The proposed model, leaning on the strategic formulation and governance of cluster for marinas, ports, private companies, independent associations and public and private institutions, directly and indirectly involved in the yachting tourism industry, would address and attract a competitive network of global investors and customers, greatly contributing to the country’s overall economic expansion. This novel strategic focus on a multitude of cooperating companies, exploits the advantages in the conference of different individual business characters, guaranteeing long-term prosperity. Further on, this paper investigates the prerequisites for the formation of an effective maritime tourism cluster (yachting) that will motivate competitiveness and extroversion, towards upward levels of employment and regional development. Cluster main characteristics will be collected through bibliography: economic specialization and geographic concentration will be examined and reasons for establishment will be expanded on. All necessary characteristics for satisfying governance of maritime cluster will be collected and examined. *Corresponding Author: Theodora Giantsi, Postgraduate Student, Department of Maritime Studies, University of Piraeus, Piraeus 18534, Greece