Assessing Stakeholders’ Views of Tourism Policy in Prince Edward County

Abstract

Prince Edward County, located in Ontario, Canada, is both a rural destination and an island. The destination, known familiarly as PEC, is fast becoming the newest winery destination in Ontario and faces the challenge of developing a tourism industry that is financially,  socially, and environmentally sustainable. Like many other islands or rural areas, Prince Edward County is isolated and vulnerable to pressures from development and other human activities and sustainable development in PEC requires strategic and careful tourism planning.

To support the viable development of a tourist destination while improving the regional quality of life, tourism policies must be forward-looking and satisfy the needs of multiple stakeholders. This allows more efficient and acceptable policy implementation as the policies are inclusive and cohesive. This study assesses current stakeholder perceptions of current tourism development and future tourism planning in PEC. The findings revealed that although the majority of the stakeholders agree with the importance of tourism development, many feel there are issues not being addressed by the county and are unhappy with the current direction of tourism development.