The challenge of formulating tourism policy in small island developing states (SIDS): evidence from Seychelles

Abstract

Most small island developing states (SIDS) have tourism policies that guide the country's tourism development. However, formulating a policy is far from straightforward as it involves many stages and revisions. Furthermore, policymakers typically confront an array of difficult and complex policy formulation challenges - which have seldom been delineated in previous research. This study was undertaken in Seychelles, located in the Indian Ocean, using a qualitative approach, with intensive in-depth interviews conducted with fifteen tourism elites involved in the policy formulation process. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings show that poor cooperation, scarcity of information, lack of public consultation, inadequate policy dialogue, and shortage of human resources are major challenges for tourism policy formulation. The findings offer valuable groundwork for policy researchers, particularly in SIDS.