Chapter 14: A Triple Helix Approach in Sustainable Tourism Governance

The notion of sustainability encompasses several study streams that have emerged due to the widespread recognition of sustainability as a science concerned with determining the equilibrium between the environment, economy, and society that are connected (Caputo et al., 2017). Good governance offers the bedrock for sustainable development and is believed to be the fourth pillar of sustainability (Bramwell & Lane, 2011). Governance may be characterised as a framework of formal and informal rules established in institutions and regulations. These regulations establish the patterns and methodologies of interaction among stakeholders (de Bruyn & Fernández Alonso, 2012).

Tourism is a system of interrelated and interdependent components analysed from various perspectives, including geography, market dynamics, and stakeholders (Glyptou, 2024). Researchers have acknowledged the significance of perceiving tourism as a complex system in comprehending the aspects affecting its development and sustainability (Mai & Smith, 2015). Tourism governance includes several strategies for managing, controlling, regulating, and mobilising operations. These strategies encompass institutions, decision-making guidelines, and established practices. Tourism governance can manifest in several forms, including hierarchical frameworks within formal government, networks of non-governmental entities, communities, and markets (Bramwell & Lane, 2011).