Stakeholder Communication as a Strategy for Resilient Destinations in Sustainable Tourism Development

• In the latest World Tourism Barometer, UNWTO (2020) predicts that global tourism could decline by up to 80% this year. While many tourism-dependent economies in Europe are currently suffering from under-tourism, the heated debate between tourism developers and local stakeholders about adverse impacts of over-tourism is likely to reignite even stronger once the inrush of tourists returns. As a result, tensions between different actors and among stakeholders will undoubtedly increase in an post-COVID-19 world, calling for urgent measures to maintain resilience in destinations. Even though the inclusion of stakeholders in tourism development has long been recognised (International Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations, 2002) to meet conflicts, tensions, and problems, there remains a vast gulf between ambition and reality. By developing stakeholder theory, this chapter argues for a credible stakeholder participation approach based on a strategic communication perspective that places the decision-making power of stakeholders at the centre of contemporary tourism development. The approach that builds on a ritual approach to communication (Carey, 2009) that regards communication as a process that enables social transformation, also relates and advances recent debates on organisational listening as a route to public participation and engagement (McNamara, 2016) and resilient societies. The chapter discusses the philosophical, normative, and acceptance-promoting foundation of stakeholder participation; the identification and empowerment of legitimate stakeholders; joint decision-making approaches and the prerequisite of an underlying strategically communicative infrastructure. Lastly, we argue that mutually beneficial relationships with stakeholders are vital in securing destinations’ resilience, popularity, and authenticity and thus quality of life.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Medie- och kommunikationsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Media and Communications (hsv//eng)

Keyword

intressentteori

intressentdeltagande

hållbar turismutveckling

hållbarhet

resiliens

strategisk kommunikation

organisatoriskt lyssnande

stakeholder communication

stakeholder collaboration

sustainable tourism development

destination resilience

resilience

strategisk kommunikation

organisational listening

Publication and Content Type

kap (subject category)

ref (subject category)