Participatory complexity in tourism policy: Understanding sustainability programmes with participatory systems mapping

Jenny Suno Wu,Pete Barbrook-Johnson,Xavier Font

doi:10.1016/j.annals.2021.103269

Abstract

Linear logic models are insufficient to understand how interventions work in complex areas such as sustainable tourism. We present Participatory Systems Mapping (PSM), a novel method to develop shared understandings and collective management of complex policy issues among stakeholders. We use PSM with stakeholders in Barcelona to support the design of an upcoming evaluation of an existing sustainability programme. Discussion during workshops, and analysis of the PSM map produced, suggest sharing best practices and improving peer-to-peer learning are pivotal to improving sustainability. We show how a complex systems approach, implemented via PSM, can provide a more holistic understanding of the contexts and interactions of tourism policy. We offer learning and guidance on how the method can be used by others.

Highlights

Sustainable tourism policy plays a fundamental role in leading the uptake of sustainable practices by local businesses in a destination, yet it is complex because it is inevitably linked with other policies and changes at political, economic and socio-cultural levels (Guo et al, 2019) that affect tourism
As the paper aims to showcase the method, we present four maps as illustrative examples of what users can do with Participatory Systems Mapping (PSM) and how to interpret the outputs
This study makes a methodological contribution to the research and evaluation of sustainable tourism interventions by applying complexity theory and methods in a participatory manner

Summary

Introduction

Sustainable tourism policy plays a fundamental role in leading the uptake of sustainable practices by local businesses in a destination, yet it is complex because it is inevitably linked with other policies and changes at political, economic and socio-cultural levels (Guo et al, 2019) that affect tourism. Significant efforts have been made towards understanding the tourism system, existing linear models are inadequate because they are developed from a rational paradigm that often neglects the turbulent nature of inherently complex systems like tourism (Baggio, 2008; Russell & Faulkner, 1999; Twining-Ward, 2002). Such models perpetuate a reductionist, simplified view of the world, ignoring important nonlinear dynamics and the potential negative impacts of, or adaptations to, interventions. Taking a participatory approach to using complexity science can help when considering social disputes and the normative valuations of specific social interactions

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion