A longitudinal study of the residents’ perceptions of tourism impacts using data from the sunshine coast Australia

Bishnu Sharma; Pam Dyer

doi:10.25145/j.pasos.2012.10.025

Authors

Bishnu Sharma
Pam Dyer

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25145/j.pasos.2012.10.025

Keywords:

Residents’ perceptions, Tourism, Sunshine Coast, Surveys

Abstract

This study investigates whether there has been a change in residents’ perceptions of living and tourism impacts, on the Sunshine Coast, in 2009 from their perceptions of 2008. In 2009 more respondents reported that lifestyle and general pace of life were the key attractions of living on the Sunshine Coast. The results also demonstrate a significant increase in residents’ perceptions that tourism is likely to have a positive impact on the cultural identity of the community. The study also found that between 2008 and 2009 there was a significant decrease in the residents’ concerns re- garding traffic congestion; noise and pollution; crime rates; destruction of the natural environment; and unpleasantly overcrowded beaches, and bush walking paths, parks and outdoor facilities in the community. The research, however, reveals no significant differences in the residents’ perceptions of conservation of natural resources; creation of employment; and the possibility of having more cul- tural exchange between tourists and residents due to tourism. Overall, these findings are favourable for tourism-related stakeholders in developing future tourism plans for the region in that residents’ appear to be more willing to support tourism development.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Bishnu Sharma

University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia

Pam Dyer

University of the Sunshine Coast, (Australia)

References

Albalate, D. and Bel, G.2010. “Tourism and urban public transport: Holding demand pressure under supply constraints.” Tourism Management, 31(3): 425-433.

Allen, L. R., Long, P. T., Perdue, R. R. and Kieselbach, S. 1988. “The impact of tourism development on residents’ perceptions of community life.” Journal of Travel Research, 27(1): 16–21.

Alonso, A.D. And Northcote, J. 2010. The development of olive tourism in Western Australia: a case study of an emerging tourism industry.” International Journal of Tourism Re- search, 12(6): 696-708.

Andriotis, K. 2004. “The perceived impact of tourism development by Cretan residents.” Tourism and Hospitality Planning and Development, 1(2): 123–144.

Andriotis, K. and Vaughan, R.D. 2003. “Urban residents’ attitudes toward tourism development: The case of Crete.” Journal of Travel Research, 42(2): 172.

Arnberger, A. and Brandenburg, C. 2007. “Past on-site experience, crowding perceptions, and use displacement of visitor groups to a peri-urban national park.” Environmental Management, 40:34

Beames, G. 2003. “The rock, the reef and the grape: the challenges of developing wine tourism in regional Australia.” Journal of Vacation Marketing, 9(3): 205-212.

Bonimy, M.M. 2008. “Residents’ attitudes and perceptions towards the impact of tourism on the environment in Pi- geon Forge, Tennessee.” PhD Thesis, Tennessee State University.

Brau, R. 2008. “Demand-driven sustainable tourism? A choice modelling analysis.” Tourism Economics, 14(4): 691-708.

Brida, J.G., Osti, L. And Barquet, A. 2010. “Segmenting resident perceptions towards tourism – a cluster analysis with a multinominal logit model of a mountain community.” International Journal of Tourism Research, 12: 591-602.

Caneday, L. and Zeiger, J. 1991. “The social, economic, and environmental costs of tourism to a gaming community as perceived its residents.” Journal of Travel Research, 30(2): 45–49.

Carmichael, B.A., Peppard, D.M. and Boudreau, F.A. 1996. “Megaresort on my doorstep: Local resident attitudes toward Foxwoods Casino and casino gam- bling on nearby Indian reservation land.” Journal of Travel Research, 34(3): 9–16.

Carson, D. 2008. “The ‘blogosphere’ as a market research tool for tourism destinations: a case study of Australia’s Northern Territory.” Journal of Vacation Marketing, 14(2): 111-119.

Cecil, A.K., Fu, Y.Y., Wang, S. and Avgoustis, S. 2010. “Cultural tourism and quality of life: Results of a longitudinal study.” European Journal of Tourism Research, 3(1): 54-66.

Chen, J.S. 2000. “An investigation of urban tourism residents’ loyalty of tourism.” Journal of Travel and Tour- ism Research, 24(1): 5–19.

Cros, H. d. 2008. “Too much of a good thing? Visitor Congestion management issues for popular world heritage tourist attractions.” Journal of Heritage Tour- ism, 2(3): 225 – 238.

Dickinson, J. E. and Dickinson, J.A. 2006. “Local transport and social representations: Challenging the assumptions for sustainable tourism.” Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 14(2):192 – 208.

Dyer, P., Gursoy, D., Sharma, B. and Carter, J. 2007. “Structural modelling of resident perceptions of tourism and associated development on the Sunshine Coast, Australia.” Tourism Management, 28: 409–422.

Fredline, E. and Faulkner, B. 2000. “Host community reactions: A cluster analysis.” Annals of Tourism Research, 27(3): 763–784.

Gibson, P. and Bentley, M. 2007. “A study of impacts-cruise tourism and the South West of England.” Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, 20(3): 63 – 77.

Gursoy, D. and Rutherford, D.G. 2004. “Host attitudes toward tourism – An improved structural model.” Annals of Tourism Research, 31(3): 495–516.

Gursoy, D., Jurowski, C. and Uysal, M. 2002. “Resident attitudes – A structural modelling approach.” Annals of Tourism Research, 29(1): 79–105.

Haralambopoulos, N. and Pizam, A. 1996. “Perceived impacts of tourism: The case of Samos.” Annals of Tourism Research, 23(3): 503–526.

Harrill, R. 2004. “Residents’ attitudes toward tourism development: A literature review with implications for tourism planning.” Journal of Planning Literature, 18(3): 251.

Heung, V. C. S., Tsang, N., et al., 2009. “Queuing behavior in theme parks: A comparison between Chinese and Western tourists.” Journal of China Tourism Research, 5(1): 41 – 51

Huh, C. and Vogt, C.A. 2008. “Changes in residents’ attitudes toward tour- ism over time: A cohort analytical approach.” Journal of Travel Research, 46(4): 446.

Inbakaran, R. and Jackson, M. 2006. “Resident attitudes inside Victoria’s tourism product regions: A cluster analysis.” Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 13(1): 59–74.

Jones, D. L., Jurowski, C. and Uysal, M. 2000. “Host community residents’ attitudes: A comparison of environmental viewpoints.” Tourism and Hospitality Research, 2(2): 129–155.

March, R. 2008. “Towards a conceptualisation of unethical marketing practices in tourism: a case study of Australia’s inbound chinese travel market.” Journal of Travel and Tourism Marketing, 24(4): 255.

Mok, C., Slater, B. and Cheung, V. 1991. “Residents’ attitudes towards tourism in Hong Kong.” International Journal of Hospitality Man- agement, 10(3): 289–293.

Moore, S.A. and Polley, A. 2007. “Defining indicators and standards for tour- ism impacts in protected areas: Cape Range na- tional Park, Australia.” Environmental Management, 39: 291-300.

Moyle, B., Croy, W.G. and Weiler, B. 2010. “Community perceptions of tourism: Bruny and Magnetic Islands, Australia.” Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 15(3): 353 – 366.

Ritchie, J. R. B. 1988. “Consensus policy formulation in tourism: Measuring resident views via survey research.” Tourism Management, 9(3): 199–212.

Sharma, B. and Dyer, P. 2009a. “An empirical investigation of the relation- ship between residents’ involvement in tourism and their perceptions of tourism impacts.”

Benchmarking: An International Journal, 16(3). Sharma, B. and Dyer, P. 2009b. “An investigation of differences in residents’ perceptions on the Sunshine Coast: Tourism im- pacts and demographic variables.” Tourism Geographies, 11(2): 187-213.

Sharma, B. and Dyer, P. 2010. “Sunshine Coast residents’ perceptions of tourism impacts: A longitudinal study.” In M Kefalaki and Daniel Tixier (Eds.), Challenges and Prospects in Tourism Research (pp. 175 – 188). Greece: Atiner Publication.

Sharma, B., Dyer, P., Carter, J. and Gursoy, D. 2008. “Exploring residents’ perceptions of the social impacts of tourism on the Sunshine Coast, Australia.” International Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Administration, 9(3): 288-311.

Solberg, H.A. and Preuss, H. 2007. “Major sport events and long-term tourism impacts.” Journal of Sport Management, 21: 213-234.

Teye, V., Sonmez, S.F. and Sirakaya, E. 2002. “Residents’ attitudes toward tourism development.” Annals of Tourism Research, 29(3): 668–688.

Tideswell, C. and Faulkner, B. 1999. “Multidestination travel patterns of international visitors to Queensland.” Journal of Travel Research, 37: 364–374.

Tomljenovic, R. and Faulkner, B. 2000. “Tourism and older residents in a sunbelt re- sort.” Annals of Tourism Research, 27(1): 93–114.

Vargas-Sanchez, A., Plaza-Mejia, M.A. and Porras-Bueno, N. 2009. “Understanding residents’ attitudes toward the development of industrial tourism in a for- mermining community.” Journal of Travel Re- search, 47(3): 373.

Wang, Y. and Pfister, R.E. 2008. “Residents’ attitudes toward tourism and perceived personal benefits in a rural community.” Journal of Travel Research, 47(1): 84.

Wayakone, S., Daud, M., Bardaie, M.Z., Shuib, A. and Mohd, A. 1998. “Residents’ attitude towards future impacts of tourism development in Langkawi.” Borneo Re- view, 9(2): 123-134.

Yang, J.Y.C. and Chen, Y.M. 2008. “Nature-based tourism impacts in I-Lan, Tai- wan: business managers’ perceptions.” International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, 2(3): 250-270.