Abstract
The focus of this research was to determine if, based on the research on the opinions of the academics and sector stakeholders (private, public and NGO respondents), sustainable tourism policy is being achieved in practice and if not, what the reasons were for failure of policy implementation. The research used exploratory and descriptive research approaches as well as both qualitative and quantiative methods through comparison of two Mediterranean islands: Calvia (Mallorca, Spain) and Malta. Case study research in these two destinations was undertaken as both destinations are in the Mediterranean, their main tourist product is sea, sun, sand packages dominated by tour operators, tourism developed rapidly during the 1960's and both destinations are facing a loss of tourists and increased competition. The Theory of the Commons was used as a conceptual framework which suggests that in the short term, the individual advantage of exploiting shared or pooled resources is often perceived as being greater than the potential long-term shared losses that result from their deterioration, and consequently there is little motivation for individual actors to invest or engage in protection or conservation. As a result of the research, five specific findings are presented. First, although sustainability and sustainable tourism are widely adopted notions for achieving a more balanced environmental, social and economic form of tourism, few examples or case studies of successful implementation were found in practice. Second, the policies examined in this research were replete with barriers to implementation within the political environment in which they operated. Third, barriers found were economic priority over social and environmental considerations, lack of stakeholder involvement and participation, lack of integration into wider policy and lack of awareness of sustainable tourism. Fourth, there was little clear consensus among stakeholders as to who should be responsible for the policy implementation process. Fifith, mitigation strategies which were put forward as recommendations for other destinations developing and implementing policies are the integration of policy into larger political and economic frameworks, more stakeholder involvement and accountability, political will, and education about sustainable tourism. The final observation of this thesis is that although tourism has been recognised as a major economic contributor to economies and that tourism is also a strong tool in the social and infrastructural development of a destination, it is often not considered within the political contexts in which tourism operates, nor in the power struggles that play a critical role in hindering effective sustainable tourism policies.