Governance and sustainable tourism: What is the role of trust, power and social capital?

This editorial introduction to the special issue posits that governance and sustainable tourism research will benefit from a joint treatise of trust and other key governance concepts such as power and social capital. It introduces the concept of governance in the context of sustainable tourism development. The discussion then delves into the theoretical perspectives on trust, power, and social capital and exemplifies their contributions to tourism governance and sustainable tourism. A typology of social capital potentially useful in sustainable tourism research is developed. The typology emphasizes on the positive aspects of social capital and the challenges the concept presents for governance and sustainability. Good governance and sustainable tourism research arguably has privileged the concept of power to the detriment of trust in social relationships. The collection of papers of this special issue is situated within these debates. An agenda for further research in this area is presented by way of conclusion.