Dealing with maturity: Strategies to address the problem of stagnation in tourism destinations

In the present international political and economic context, the problem of how to deal with stagnation and possible decline in tourism demand is pressing. In this paper, we examine how mature tourism destinations might address this problem. We focus on the patterns of development and land use regulation followed in the two largest destinations in the Oceanic ‘sun and surf’ tourism market – Hawaii and Queensland – in order to assess how different approaches to regulation and development can have contrasting outcomes on tourism demand. We conclude by suggesting the most appropriate strategies for achieving long-term sustainable tourism development.