From Spectator to Stakeholder: How Tourists Perceive Their Agency in Sustainable Tourism Development in an Island Destination

Amid growing awareness of environmental and social responsibility, many tourists seek travel experiences that reflect their values. Sustainable tourism promotes a balance between development and the need to address evolving environmental and societal challenges. Grounded in Stakeholder Theory, this study explores how tourists perceive sustainable tourism and their role in supporting it. Forty-seven semi-structured interviews and observations with tourists in Phuket were thematically analysed. Five interrelated themes emerged: perceived limits of individual impact, sustainability as a trend, green destination branding and authenticity, situated ethics in tourism behaviour, and cultural variety in sustainability perspectives. While most participants endorsed sustainable tourism in principle, their engagement remained largely symbolic, shaped by uncertainty and context-dependent ethics. The findings reveal a gap between attitudes and meaningful action, emphasizing the need for clearer infrastructure, credible communication, and culturally sensitive engagement strategies. This study contributes to understanding tourists as stakeholders and informs efforts to enhance destination-level sustainability.