This paper applies the theoretical constructs of collaboration to tourism destinations and offers insight into interorganizational collaboration for one specific tourism domain: the planning and development of local, community-based tourism destinations. Drawing primarily from the literature on interorganizational relations, the theoretical constructs of collaboration are discussed first. Challenges and considerations in the planning and development of local tourist destinations are then summarized, followed by examples of community-based collaboration research. Propositions are presented for guiding collaborative initiatives and for investigating the application of collaboration theory to the planning and development of tourism destinations, from a community-involvement perspective. Collaboration is defined as a process of joint decision-making among key stakeholders of a problem domain about the future of that domain. It is a dynamic, process-based mechanism for resolving planning issues and coordinating tourism development at the local level. The discussion focuses on the community level, but similar arguments can be applied to regional-level tourism planning and development. Collaboration theory is discussed in the context of interorganizational domains, where the problems are complex and require an inter- or multi-organizational response. The concept of a turbulent environment is introduced, where competing organizations, acting independently, produce unanticipated and dissonant consequences. The strategic management process needs to incorporate the perspective of inter-organizational domains to resolve societal level issues under conditions of interdependence, complexity, and uncertainty. The collaboration process is outlined with five key characteristics: stakeholders are independent; solutions emerge by dealing constructively with differences; joint ownership of decisions is involved; stakeholders assume collective responsibility for the ongoing direction of the domain; and collaboration is an emergent process. A three-stage model is proposed for collaboration development: problem-setting, direction-setting, and implementation. The study of interorganizational relationships has traditionally followed two streams: the exchange perspective and the resource dependency approach. However, organizations are likely to have a mixture of each type of relationship. Collaboration can be stimulated or inhibited by institutional forces such as legal action and social norms. The paper presents six propositions for guiding collaborative initiatives in tourism planning and destination management. These propositions relate to the key conditions facilitating tourism planning collaborations at the community level. They emphasize the importance of recognizing interdependence, individual and mutual benefits, the legitimacy of stakeholders, the inclusion of key stakeholder groups, the role of a convener, and the need for a vision statement and ongoing adjustment of strategies. The paper concludes that collaboration is a dynamic process-oriented strategy suitable for managing turbulent planning domains at the local level. It is essential for achieving sustainable tourism development and for resolving conflicts among stakeholders. The need for new ways to be competitive and retain a sense of place in the face of globalization is critical. The paper also highlights the importance of identifying facilitators and inhibitors to collaboration through empirical research and the need for ongoing research through in-depth case studies.This paper applies the theoretical constructs of collaboration to tourism destinations and offers insight into interorganizational collaboration for one specific tourism domain: the planning and development of local, community-based tourism destinations. Drawing primarily from the literature on interorganizational relations, the theoretical constructs of collaboration are discussed first. Challenges and considerations in the planning and development of local tourist destinations are then summarized, followed by examples of community-based collaboration research. Propositions are presented for guiding collaborative initiatives and for investigating the application of collaboration theory to the planning and development of tourism destinations, from a community-involvement perspective. Collaboration is defined as a process of joint decision-making among key stakeholders of a problem domain about the future of that domain. It is a dynamic, process-based mechanism for resolving planning issues and coordinating tourism development at the local level. The discussion focuses on the community level, but similar arguments can be applied to regional-level tourism planning and development. Collaboration theory is discussed in the context of interorganizational domains, where the problems are complex and require an inter- or multi-organizational response. The concept of a turbulent environment is introduced, where competing organizations, acting independently, produce unanticipated and dissonant consequences. The strategic management process needs to incorporate the perspective of inter-organizational domains to resolve societal level issues under conditions of interdependence, complexity, and uncertainty. The collaboration process is outlined with five key characteristics: stakeholders are independent; solutions emerge by dealing constructively with differences; joint ownership of decisions is involved; stakeholders assume collective responsibility for the ongoing direction of the domain; and collaboration is an emergent process. A three-stage model is proposed for collaboration development: problem-setting, direction-setting, and implementation. The study of interorganizational relationships has traditionally followed two streams: the exchange perspective and the resource dependency approach. However, organizations are likely to have a mixture of each type of relationship. Collaboration can be stimulated or inhibited by institutional forces such as legal action and social norms. The paper presents six propositions for guiding collaborative initiatives in tourism planning and destination management. These propositions relate to the key conditions facilitating tourism planning collaborations at the community level. They emphasize the importance of recognizing interdependence, individual and mutual benefits, the legitimacy of stakeholders, the inclusion of key stakeholder groups, the role of a convener, and the need for a vision statement and ongoing adjustment of strategies. The paper concludes that collaboration is a dynamic process-oriented strategy suitable for managing turbulent planning domains at the local level. It is essential for achieving sustainable tourism development and for resolving conflicts among stakeholders. The need for new ways to be competitive and retain a sense of place in the face of globalization is critical. The paper also highlights the importance of identifying facilitators and inhibitors to collaboration through empirical research and the need for ongoing research through in-depth case studies.