本研究從「永續觀光」的角度，運用Butler（1980）「觀光地生命週期」的理論概念，分析台灣一個極為獨特的小型島嶼－蘭嶼，探討其觀光發展各階段的演化機制，並檢視其各關鍵作用者當前的行動是否符合永續觀光的架構。透過文獻分析、田野調查及深度訪談等方法，發現蘭嶼從1967年開始出現觀光現象以來近五十年的觀光發展，共可分成五個階段，其特色如下：在每一階段都共同出現的作用者及運作機制的部份，最主要是受到國家的政策與行動的驅力所致，尤其是在初始的第一、二階段，影響最深；在非共同的部份，在嗣後第三階段部份，除了受政府開放國人國際觀光政策影響外，以及NGOs與社區居民共同行動，民間社會的社會力開始形成，第四階段將近十餘年的發展當中，更在NGOs與國家的培力之下，地方居民的社會力與知識力明顯提升，才使得蘭嶼的觀光發展出現第五階段復甦的現象，也才開始出現一些比較符合永續觀光架構的樣貌。最後，本研究亦分析及比較與Butler（1980）理論的異同點，並發現社區培力是影響蘭嶼永續觀光極為關鍵性的因素。

This study utilizes Butler's concept of the ＂Tourism Area Life Cycle＂ to analyze the mechanisms by which the actions of key agents impact the evolution of sustainable tourism development in Lanyu, an exceptionally small island off the coast of Taiwan. Analysis of the relevant literature is combined with field work and in-depth interviews to divide the past 50 years of tourism development in Lanyu into five distinct stages, beginning from the initial development of tourism in 1967 to the present day. Findings reveal that state policies and actions played a key role in the development of each stage, particularly during the first and second stages. In the third stage, development was primarily shaped by government policy as well as by the actions of NGOs and community residents to establish civic and social institutions and in opening the area to international tourism for the Taiwanese people. The fourth stage lasted almost a decade and featured significant improvements to the social empowerment and knowledge of local residents due to the efforts of the government and NGO actors. Those improvements led to the fifth stage, which was characterized by the rejuvenation of tourism in Lanyu. Finally, this study compares the evolution of tourism development in Lanyu with Butler's (1980) findings and emphasizes the critical nature of community empowerment for the development of sustainable tourism.