Barriers and Enablers to a Circular Economy in Small Island Destinations: The Case of the Orkney Islands, Scotland

Sciacca, Angelo

Abstract

The tourism sector is often the main socio-economic activity for islands whilst representing a source of negative impacts. The circular economy (CE), in this sense, is increasingly considered a promising approach to tourism sustainability in such settings. The CE – regarded as the realisation of a closed loop of material flows in the economic system – is not free of enablers and disablers that should be understood to inform planning. Existing studies provide an overview of these disablers and enablers that industries face towards the adoption of CE practices, but they are largely based on one-size-fits-all approaches. This study builds upon the key assumption that islands require tailored approaches given their islandness, which is the result of the often physical/digital isolation, regional fragmentation, boundedness and smallness of their territories. Consequently, contributions are limited when it comes to small island destinations where methodologies should be context-based with an understanding of the relationship that exists between islandness and the CE.

Accordingly, this study investigated the tourism sector transition of small island destinations to a CE and the hampering/facilitating role of islandness. The investigation employed a qualitative multi-method research design with an interpretive philosophical underpinning, supported by semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis. The Orkney Islands, in Scotland, were selected as a case study. This study represents the first empirical effort seeking to delineate a territorial understanding of the CE in small island destinations using the spatial-geographical concept of islandness. Key findings revealed that the islandness of the Orkney Islands drives, hampers and enablers the tourism transition to a CE in economic, technical, social and institutional ways. Findings also show that due to the islandness of the Orkney Islands, the COVID-19 measures have accentuated the need and, in some cases, facilitated the transition to a CE. Islandness-related drivers, barriers and enablers are enshrined in the major contribution of this study, which is an indicative framework that could be considered in other small islands for the promotion of a CE in the tourism sector.

Citation

Sciacca, A. Barriers and Enablers to a Circular Economy in Small Island Destinations: The Case of the Orkney Islands, Scotland. (Thesis). Edinburgh Napier University

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Aug 21, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 21, 2023
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.17869/enu.2023.3175402
• Award Date: Jul 6, 2023