ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a reflexive account on the fundamental issues raised by the experience economy for urban and regional studies in the last decade. Through the concept of territorial staging system (TSS), a possible research agenda is proposed on the basis of current and ongoing debates in economic geography. The chapter proposes a possible interpretation of the current state of theorizing relating to the experience economy concept and highlights the necessity to continue the reflection through the broader concept of TSS. Over the past years, mainstream models of territorial innovation and competitiveness have been largely challenged by various critical reviews and alternative theoretical propositions. The traditional models of industrial districts, innovative milieus, innovation clusters or regional innovation systems have become objects of debate upon which new concepts have been formulated. In the past years, several dedicated workshops and publications have acknowledged, explored and established the concept of experience economy in regional and urban studies.
