Sustainable tourism policy for Mediterranean destinations: issues and interrelationships

Abstract

Sustainable tourism and related policies have been an understudied topic within a Mediterranean context despite an increasing number of studies published during the last few years on Mediterranean tourism. This paper explores policies for sustainable tourism development and potential interrelationships between policy considerations. Such policies have been characterised as ad hoc and incremental, lacking a clear orientation towards sustainable development, and the complex relationships underpinning them have rarely been considered in decision-making for sustainable tourism. The paper highlights the need to understand and improve tourism policies in the world's leading destination.