The dynamics of regional tourism organisations in New South Wales, Australia: history, structures and operations

The establishment of regional tourist organisations (RTOs) has been a popular reaction from many governments worldwide as an attempt, among other things, to coordinate tourism planning, development, marketing and promotion among and within local areas. However, there is much confusion and conjecture over the structures and operations of such organisations and subsequently, their relationships with other tourist organisations and the wider organisational environment. This paper examines historical, structural, political and behavioural forces influencing the establishment and operations of RTOs in New South Wales, Australia. Many RTOs are struggling to survive, and support for them, especially at the local level, is not universal. Significant barriers to the successful operations of RTOs are identified. In light of the study's findings, Pearce's (1992) conceptual framework for the interorganisational analysis of tourist organisations is not considered to be particularly useful to studies of Australian tourist organisations generally, and of interorganisational relations specifically. Avenues for further research are identified.