Unlocking Peripheral Tourism Potential: Reimagining Air Connectivity through Public Service Obligations as Peripheral Region Development Catalysts

This study examines the potential of Public Service Obligations (PSOs)—policies ensuring minimum air connectivity—in supporting place-based tourism development in peripheral regions. The paper reveals a misalignment between current PSO provisions and tourism needs through mixed-methods research conducted across three peripheral regions in the UK. Findings identify significant gaps in network connectivity, frequency, and service quality as barriers to tourism development. The study advocates for re-envisioning PSOs as tools to stimulate tourism demand. The research demonstrates how tourism-focused enhancements to PSO design could significantly enhance the appeal of peripheral destinations to high-value tourism segments. Theoretical contributions conceptualise air connectivity policies as instruments for place-based tourism development and for alleviating core-periphery imbalances. Simultaneously, practical implications offer strategies for aligning PSOs with tourism goals to stimulate economic growth in peripheral regions.