Environmental regulation of tourism: impact on business innovation

Tourism and environmental issues are particularly critical in small islands. This article compares environmental constraints and regulations in three islands: Bornholm (Denmark), the Isle of Wight (UK) and Mallorca (Spain). On Bornholm, the environment is mainly regulated through planning and statutory instruments, although such measures as green taxes are increasingly being introduced. Although problems related to the supply of fresh water have made public action necessary in Mallorca, the tourist industry and the tour operators are also major agents. Tourism has decreased in the Isle of Wight over the last decade, and the general awareness of environmental issues is low, coinciding with deregulation and privatisation efforts. The three case studies show that environmental problems can be solved by means of different regulatory philosophies. The article also emphasises that regulatory modes are media of change.