| This thesis is an investigation of the process of tourism development within the small island developing state (SIDS). The study identifies deficiencies in approaches to development management and discovers opportunities for public policy to respond to the challenges of international tourism. The research refers to the concept of sustainable development to improve the benefits of tourism to the SIDS by strengthening the linkage between agents responsible for tourism and the type of development that occurs. Grounded in the results of qualitative inquiry, the thesis argues that an integrated approach to development planning encourages broad participation among developmental agents and improves public policy on tourism. The main finding that showed that an informal collaboration between government agencies, non-government organizations (NGOs), and local residents has a positive influence over the pattern and pace of tourism development supports this assertion. |
