Actors, power, and discourses of growth limits

Interventions in a public debate about government policies to limit tourism growth in Malta are evaluated from an actor perspective on political economy. Attempts to influence growth policies are examined for their discourses, knowledge frameworks, and relative influence on the government. Government-related organizations led one intervention advocating sustainable development, but actually it was much affected by business considerations and technical rationality. A second effort by a heritage organization emphasized environmental concerns, but this lacked power to influence official policies. While a trade association had more direct influence on government, its call to halt hotel construction appears more influenced by concerns about profitability than conservation.