Firms and the territories where they are located are interwoven realities. The evolution of territories is influenced by the strategies adopted by the firms as well as these depend on the characteristics and dynamics of the region where they are embedded. The interconnection between firms and territories is thus a key issue for the understanding of the development of both businesses and territories. This issue is particularly important for the tourism industry inasmuch as the attractiveness of a region depends not only on the endogenous resources of the territory but also on the spatial interaction established by companies. In this context, the purpose of this paper is to clarify the reciprocal influence between firms and tourist destinations. For that, the paper analyses the case of a tourist resort established in the Douro valley, a region in northern Portugal classified by UNESCO as World Heritage Site and where Port wine is produced. On the basis of a qualitative methodological approach, the study aims at understanding (i) how firms’ strategic actions influence the structure and dynamics of the region where they are located, and (ii) how the regional characteristics influence firms’ evolution. The study shows that local actors are likely to condition the possibilities of interaction or ways to act in the market, develop new activities on the basis of innovative ways to combine their resources, connect with other actors of the focal firm’s network and create new competences. On the other hand, the inability of local actors to interact with the focal firm can limit its strategic options and, consequently, the impact on the dynamics of the territory as a whole.
