Stakeholders’ Attitudes towards Sustainable Tourism Development in Coastal Communities

In order to understand the range of stakeholders affected by tourism development in three coastal counties of North Carolina this study examines how property owners may be clustered based on their attitudes towards sustainable tourism development. This paper outlines the need for stakeholder groups’ profiles so decision-makers might understand who represents different attitudes towards sustainable tourism development. The study was conducted in three coastal counties where tourism is a large contributor to the economy but also has negative impacts on social and natural resources. Therefore it is critical to understand how property owners perceive further tourism growth in their communities