Conclusion

The conclusions drawn here can be divided between conceptual and applied issues. The applied conclusions of this book are that small and medium-sized enterprises in tourism can indeed provide a more sustainable and equitable form of social relations between tourists and locals if certain conditions are met. The three cases all tell very different stories of equity, environmental protection and empowerment. These differences are due to historical experiences and the different social structures arising as a result but are also somewhat related to geography. In terms of regard for global environmental governance, such as international wildlife protection law or European Union designated protected sites, the research suggests that implementation of such “global” norms depends heavily on the social and environmental values of the local population, thus suggesting that “top-down” approaches can only work if they are meaningful to those they apply to — or are applied to. In other words, the prior existence of environmental values is paramount for the introduction and successful implementation of environmental law and policy. Overall, small and medium-sized tourist enterprise economies can lead to environmentally acceptable forms of tourism under certain conditions.