Tourism policy networks in four Caribbean countries

Abstract

This paper examines formal power and its influence on the policy roles of tourism actors in four Caribbean countries. The power of policy actors was calculated with a beta centrality measure, and hypotheses of power, policy roles, and policy actor types were tested using the Quadratic Assignment Procedure and Multiple Regression Quadratic Assignment Procedure features of Social Network Analysis software. Power differentials of the tourism policy actors were statistically significant in the Barbados policy network, while policy roles were statistically significant in the Jamaica policy network. Power struggles are a concern as these affect the rate and pace of tourism development and change tourism development outcomes.