恆春地區的觀光發展主導權從公部門轉移到私部門大型財團手中，地方派系扮演了重要的中介角色。過去地方派系是傳統的農業社會中，安定社會的力量。 在形成期，因為地方政治多由在地的派系所把持，因此雖然在形式上是鄉鎮級政府主導觀光事業發展，但是實際操弄的力量是來自於鄉鎮級的地方派系。這些影響當地空間發展的鄉鎮級地方派系，透過控制公共造產以及經營旅館，影響恆春地區觀光空間的形成。舊屏東幫操弄地方派系以累積實力，上達中央，向下為其 派系利益打壓其他派系，遂以新的國家空間政策(墾丁國家公園)，瓦解其對手在恆春地區的勢力。 進入轉化期之後，由於政治上的解嚴，國家不再有能力以過去威權時期舊的恩庇--侍從關係控制地方派系，國家必須藉由投入新的空間政策來控制地方派系的菁英，形成一種新的恩庇--侍從形式，但是也因此造成執政黨與反對黨在地方政治經濟事務上，愈來愈服膺於地方派系菁英的利益。

The period before 1982, the year Kenting National Park was designated, is called the stage of formation of the ourism space, during which the major aim was "the conservation of natural resources." At this stage the natural environment was preceived as a commodity, merely by virtue of its ntrinsic beauty without the need for large-scale investment, and local authorities in control of public property were the sole beneficiaries of the tourist industry. After 1982 "the stage of transformation of tourism space" evolved through the realisation that political and commercial cooperation between commercial and conservation interest groups could provide a mutually beneficial outcome. Spatial plans were produced to demonstrate these benefits to the various interest groups.