Transcript Host Community Perceptions of the social impacts of

EDA Conference July 2012: Tourism is Economic Development
HOST COMMUNITY PERCEPTIONS OF THE
SOCIAL IMPACTS OF TOURISM:
THE CITY OF WARRNAMBOOL
Professor Margaret Deery
Director, Tourism & Business Events International
Adjunct Professor Curtin University
Importance of Understanding Host
Resident Perceptions
• Resident backlash to tourism and tourists
• Distrust in local authority
• Resentment to the use of taxes for tourist
related facilities and services
• Local authorities need to show they care!
Sea change town resists
change
January 13 2003
“....the Byron Businesses for the Future formed an alliance with
environmentalists...there were ‘No Club Med’ T-shirts, stickers and
banners... They argued that a holiday concept like Club Med went against
the grain and would open the flood gates for other mega-resorts. After 4
years of protest, the approval for the development was overturned. Three
years later Club Med quit town”
“The
primary cause of
death isn't the muchpublicized acqua alta
that floods St. Mark's
Square and city
streets annually, but
rather the flood of
tourists
“Venetian business
owners used to
charge higher prices
to tourists, but now
are charging those
tourist prices to
locals, too, in the
struggle to get by”
Models for Understanding Tourism and
Communities
BEHAVIOUR
ACTIVE
• Aggressive
promotion
of
something
favoured
PASSIVE
• Silent
acceptance
of something
favoured
Models such as this by
Doxey, Butler and others
show the range of reactions
of residents to tourists
POSITIVE
ATTITUDE
• Aggressive
opposition
to
something
disliked
• Resigned
acceptance
of
something
disliked
NEGATIVE
Adapted from Abler, R. Janelle, D.
Phillbrick, A. and Sommer, J. (1975)
Human Geography in a Shrinking World,
Duxbury Press.
Our understanding of Communities and
Tourism
Type of tourist
Type of activities
Research Team:
Dr Liz Fredline
Dr Leo Jago
Dr Margaret Deery
Impacts:
Economic
Social
environmental
Destination
Management
Type of
destination
The Study
• This study was:
• part of an Australian Tourism Development Program grant
• initiated by Great Ocean Road Marketing (GORM)
• undertaken by the Centre for Hospitality and Tourism Research, VU.
• Nine communities involved.
• A hard copy, self-complete questionnaire was mailed out to 2000 ratepayer addresses
with a:
•
•
cover letter
reply-paid envelope.
• The survey was distributed in early December 2008.
Case Study: The City of Warrnambool
• A total of 118 responses
• Respondent profile:
• age cohort of this sample of respondents is
slightly younger than that of other
communities
• high percentage (92.9%) owning their homes
• most common group were born elsewhere in
Victoria
• 46.8% held a tertiary qualification
• 26.7% stated they or someone in their family
(or both) benefitted from tourism
Perceptions of Personal and Community
Level Impacts of Tourism
Affect on
personal
quality of
life
Affect on
community
as a whole
N
-3
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
+3
Mean
117
0.9%
2.6%
3.4%
35.9%
21.4%
22.2%
13.7%
0.96
117
0.0%
0.0%
1.7%
3.4%
12.0%
38.5%
44.4%
2.21
Comparison with Other Communities in
the Study
2.4
2.2
2
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
1
Personal Impact
0.8
Community Impact
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
Warrnambool
Surf Coast
Queenscliff
Moyne
Golden Plains
Geelong
Corangamite
Colac
-0.2
Canberra
Byron Bay
Carnarvon
Coral Bay
Exmouth
NW Tasmania
Halls Gap
Gold Coast
Coles Bay
Richmond
King Island
Flinders Island
Dorset
Bruny Island
Warrnambool
Surf Coast
Queenscliff
Moyne
Golden Plains
Geelong
Corangamite
Colac
Comparison with Australian Tourism
Communities
2.8
2.6
2.4
2.2
2
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
Personal Impact
0.2
Community Impact
0
-0.2
-0.4
-0.6
-0.8
-1
What are the benefits of tourism for
residents in Warrnambool?
High potential
but
underdeveloped
Warrnambool needs
tourism—it’s the lifeblood
of the place—anything
that is positive and
sustainable and that
brings more people here
is worthwhile
Helps plenty of people young
and old because it makes our
town feel better because
everybody has a smile on their
face as they join in the holiday
Fantastic for the
economy, needs to
be developed further
Money and
good coffee
shops
Great for
families, ‘Fun 4
kids
What are the costs of tourism to residents
of Warrnambool?
Excessive
Tourists are often noisy and
reckless, leaving a path of
vandalism and disregard for
Warrnambool citizens in their
wake. There are very few
exceptions to this rule
traffic in the
Lake
Perbole
precinct in
the summer
I have poor health and mobility
problems. Fun 4 kids stops me from
getting to the library and the town
centre for at least a month each
year. Noise pollution from concerts
etc and especially the fun fair that
operates in summer is excessive
Tourism Growth and Development
Do the residents still want
tourism?
What type of tourism
development?
• ‘Align all CBD themes to further
%
Happy with continued growth
Happy but no more growth
Want less tourism
More growth different direction
70.3
11.7
3.6
14.4
development of Flagstaff Hill’.
• ‘Turn Flagstaff Hill into an open
‘free’ area with businesses
open to the public—like the
Port of Echuca’
• ‘Cars minimised in CBD. The
pier and the waterfront need a
sensitive makeover’.
How can these findings be used?
• Local authorities need to capitalise on the positive
aspects such as:
• the pride in the city and the ability to showcase the city because of
tourism and events
• the economic benefits of tourism e.g additional jobs, more
customers for retail
• the enhanced entertainment opportunities such as restaurants and
cinemas
• Better maintained facilities such as riding/walking tracks and
recreation facilities
How can these findings be used?
• Local authorities need to address
the issues of concern for residents:
• Determine whether vandalism and
rowdy behaviour is from locals or
tourists
• Reinforce regulations on excessive
noise and drinking in public,
particularly of groups of tourists.
• Be creative regarding traffic
congestion: park and ride for tourists?
• Lobby for air access to Warrnambool?
Recommendations
• Regularly monitor residents perceptions of tourism
(perhaps through rate notices or online survey through
Council)
• Promote the benefits of tourism
• Inform residents of the issues of concern that are being
addressed such as parking, environmental and noise
pollution
• Be prepared to cap tourist numbers.
THANK YOU