Abstract
When promoting local tourism, one of the major purposes is the improvement in the living environment and living conditions for residents in each local area. However, recent tourism policy tends to focus on how to boost the local economy with the help of tourism, which raises concern that the philosophy of citizen participation fades into the background. The question is what can be done to promote tourism so that it would be compatible with the spirit of resident initiative. This paper argues that solutions lie in the establishment of social capital on a regional basis and that civil activities would make the establishment of social capital possibility. Using a number of case studies, we illuminate and demonstrate that barrier-free tourism plays a meaningful role in establishing social capital.
