Power, community involvement, and sustainability of tourism destinations

Abstract

Power to influence is essential to encourage stakeholder involvement in tourism development, yet little is known about how power can affect stakeholder involvement in achieving sustainable tourism. This paper reports a qualitative case study to explore power relations between stakeholders concerning the sustainability of tourism destinations. The data collection involves document analysis and interviews with tourism stakeholders in Da Nang, a flagship tourist destination in central Vietnam. Our findings revealed the influence of the local community and public opinion on the change of government decisions related to a new tourism development plan. The combination of top-down influence (exercised by the central government) and bottom-up influence (manifested by the local community) forced the Da Nang government to consider the community’s voice. This research contributes to the tourism literature on community involvement in sustainable tourism by providing an understanding of reshaping power relations to increase the power balance between stakeholders. The finding recommends practical implications for destination governance in achieving environmental sustainability by involving the local community and mobilising public actions.