Third, as discussed above, participation of various stakeholders is one of the most important components for the achievement of STD (WCED, 1987). This suggests that from the initial stage of the assessment (e.g. questionnaire formulation), stakeholders should be involved. Therefore, the SIs should be centred, possibly through questions or interviews, on the perceptions of local residents, tourists, and environmental experts/ groups, regarding the sustainability of a tourist destination. ‘Local people often have clear ideas of their own about what is sustainable from their own perspective and in their own terms without an expert’s view.’ (Bell & Morse, 1999, p. 80) The sustainability of a tourist destination might not be maintained if adverse reactions of these participant groups are significant and increasing. As stated by Faulkner and Tideswell (1997, p. 6), ‘the associated reciprocal reactions of the community influence the progression of stages by undermining the appeal of the area to tourists and thus reducing its viability as a tourist destination’.