Purpose – The main objective is to understand the agencies involved in tourism policy networks in two Caribbean countries and thereby to determine the key players invested with power in policy making in these Caribbean tourism destinations.
Design/methodology/approach – Policy network analysis was the approach used to identify and measure the power relations of the agencies of tourism policy making, development and management using archival documents from two Caribbean tourism destinations.
Findings – Comparatively the policy networks differ in terms of the number of actors and structure. The powerful players are those in the public sector and therefore tourism policy making is formulated through the influence of public actors.
Practical implications – The findings reveal the agencies of power with influence over tourism development and those agencies within tourism policy making and the complexity of the tourism policy networks.
Originality/value – As far as is known tourism policy networks in the Caribbean have been mapped and key players identified. This approach can be utilised for policy networks in other countries and sectors.
Design/methodology/approach – Policy network analysis was the approach used to identify and measure the power relations of the agencies of tourism policy making, development and management using archival documents from two Caribbean tourism destinations.
Findings – Comparatively the policy networks differ in terms of the number of actors and structure. The powerful players are those in the public sector and therefore tourism policy making is formulated through the influence of public actors.
Practical implications – The findings reveal the agencies of power with influence over tourism development and those agencies within tourism policy making and the complexity of the tourism policy networks.
Originality/value – As far as is known tourism policy networks in the Caribbean have been mapped and key players identified. This approach can be utilised for policy networks in other countries and sectors.