Resident perceptions of tourism in a resort town

Abstract

This article describes a part of the survey research conducted in Antalya, Turkey, whose aim was to gain a better understanding of resident attitudes and perceptions of tourism. Factor analysis applied to impact statements yielded nine reliable dimensions of tourism impacts as perceived by local residents. The most important dimensions were effect of tourist crowds, impact on built environment, and impact on social values. The study findings suggest that residents of Antalya could differentiate between benefits and costs while still remaining predominantly supportive of tourism. In addition, this study empirically verified that residents with the highest overall level of support for tourism expansion in Antalya tended to be people who were more educated, did not live in the proximity of the city's central tourist area, were more frequent users of tourism facilities, had tourism‐dependent income, and were employed in jobs that had a direct relation to tourism.