This thesis by publication reports on the findings, integration and synthesis of a series of three studies that, together, shaped the development of a methodology for designing sustainable destination systems for tourist experiences- the DSDSTE methodology. Applying a systems engineering perspective on tourism destination development has provided an important opportunity for purposely incorporating sustainable development as a reference point for the process of designing destination systems for tourism experiences. This thesis also demonstrates how a design methodology can be developed and validated through applying the validation square. In the first study, the key theoretical constructs of the methodology and their interrelation are identified through a meta-study of existing literature. The second study applies the key constructs of the methodology in the real world setting of a living lab to see how a design process model can be co-crafted using the identified constructs. The third study analyses how different codesign strategies informed the design process models adopted in five similar living labs. These studies are brought together to validate the DSDSTE methodology in the discussion and conclusion.

The purpose of this new methodology is to provide a theory that outlines how a design process for a sustainable tourism experience system should be structured to achieve its goals. Moreover, this methodology provides insights on the implications of its underlying theory for the methods adopted to collect and analyse relevant information in the various activities that together shape the design process. In other words, this new methodology informs the design of design processes for sustainable tourism experience systems. This provocative importation of a design perspective on tourism experience systems aims to extend the existing boundaries of the tourism field and to challenge scholars and practitioners to accept design science as a valuable contributor to methodological development and actual progress towards sustainable tourism development.