Public-Private Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism

The past two decades have seen a rapidly growing and global interest in sustainable tourism.   This new focus on sustainability is driving changes in both product development and tourism marketing and promotion, creating an additional challenge for national tourism agencies (NTAs) which are already struggling to maintain or increase market share in an ever more competitive global market.  Not surprisingly, both NTAs and subnational tourism agencies are turning to the private sector as a partner in creating and maintaining sustainable tourism programs.  Through relationships termed “public‐private partnerships” (PPPs), private entities and NGOs contribute financing, management expertise, technology, and other resources which can support the development of sustainable tourism.  What are the forms of such PPPs, and what practices lead to successful partnering with the private sector?  What is the potential role of Medium, Small, and Micro‐Enterprises (MSMEs) in the partnering effort?   These questions will be explored in the following pages.