ABSTRACT
The public-private sector partnership in tourism is premised on the public sector ‘letting go’ of some or the whole of its traditional intervention and leadership accountabilities. Crucially, in ‘letting go’, it seeks to increase the participation of other key players and stakeholders, particularly the private sector. Not surprisingly, however, the participation of all stakeholders in the new partnerships venture is premised on ‘pay-back’. In exchange for financial and other support, each public and private sector stakeholder is looking for its quid pro quo, which invariably is an ability to influence the policies and programme of the partnership agency and ultimately to benefit from its operation.
