Examining stakeholder group specificity: an innovative sustainable tourism approach

It is now widely accepted that stakeholder consultation is necessary for sustainable tourism development to occur and that a variety of stakeholder groups occur. In tourism, these groups are often referred to as locals, operators, community members and those in regulatory positions. However, a divide exists within the literature. One cluster of literature suggests that individual stakeholders possess attitudes that are specific to their group. Another cluster of research suggests that individual stakeholders’ attitudes do not always align with their stakeholder groups. This paper responds to this dichotomy and utilises the Q methodology to assess the attitudes of stakeholders in the Tarkine region of Tasmania, Australia. The research highlights that individual stakeholders’ attitudes do not always align to their stakeholder group when considering sustainable tourism development and that responsive methods are required to ensure adequate stakeholder involvement. In doing so, it challenges the long-held notion of stakeholder group specificity.