Kathleen L. Andereck

The Relationship between Residents’ Attitudes toward Tourism and Tourism Development Options

Many rural communities view tourism as an economic development strategy. This study explores the relationship between resident attitudes toward tourism and support for specific tourism development options. In addition, attitudes and support for development in seven diverse communities are compared. Results indicate that communities differ with respect to residents’ support for specific tourism development options and attitudes toward tourism. In general, residents perceive tourism positively and support most specific types of development. There is a relationship between attitudes and support for development, although the nature of the relationship is different for each community.

Factors Predicting Rural Residents’ Support of Tourism

This study examined the factors predicting attitudes toward tourism of residents from a dozen communities in Arizona, generally following the model developed by Perdue, Long, and Allen, using social exchange theory as the foundation. Findings indicated that in general, personal characteristics did not predict attitudes toward tourism, but community dependence on tourism was a predictor. Personal benefit from tourism predicted both positive and negative effects of tourism and support for additional tourism among residents of the Arizona communities; this was consistent with Perdue, Long, and Allen. Positive effects of tourism, however, did not predict tourism planning. Although support for additional tourism did predict tourism planning, it was a positive rather than a negative relationship as reported by Perdue, Long, and Allen. As expected, support for social exchange theory was mixed; the existence of personal benefit from tourism was not a significant predictor of support for tourism planning.

Exploring the Nature of Tourism and Quality of Life Perceptions among Residents

Research on resident attitudes toward tourism has been under way for many years. Implicit in this research is the precept that tourism influences people’s quality of life (QOL). Few studies, however, have directly investigated residents’ perception of the impact tourism has on their QOL, and relationships between QOL perceptions and support for tourism in the community. This study is an attempt to go beyond attitude research and explicitly consider tourism’s influence on QOL. A mail survey was conducted with a random sample of residents throughout Arizona. The questionnaire included three sets of scales combined into an index to measure perceived QOL impacts of tourism. Eight QOL domains were developed. In addition, further analysis found that perceived personal benefit derived from tourism mediated the effect of the economic aspects of QOL, contact with tourists, and employment in tourism on the perceptions of the role of tourism in the local economy.

Understanding Travel Constraints: Application and Extension of a Leisure Constraints Model

The study of constraints to participation in leisure activities has been a growing theme of research during the past three decades. More recently, this research has been extended to the study of nonparticipation in leisure travel. One model that has been employed to facilitate the study of constraints uses the three categories of constraints as a conceptual framework: intrapersonal, interpersonal, and structural. This article extends this framework by testing whether multiple dimensions exist within the structural constraints construct along with the other two dimensions and compares these against demographic variables. A survey of in-state and out-of-state travelers was conducted to measure travel constraints. As expected, three dimensions emerged within the structural constraints construct, including place attributes, lack of time, and lack of money. Several demographic differences with respect to constraints also emerged. Knowing why people do not travel can suggest strategies that can be used to overcome constraints.

A cross-cultural analysis of tourism and quality of life perceptions.

Models of sustainable tourism consider not only the aspects of the physical environment but also the dimensions of the social and cultural environment of destinations. During the past two decades a number of researchers have made the case that local residents must be involved in tourism development decisions if support for, and thereby sustainability of, the industry is to be maintained. Minority ethnic and racial groups, however, are often differentially influenced by tourism within a community. This study investigates the differences between Hispanic and Anglo residents with respect to their perceptions of tourism and quality of life framed with the context of ethnicity marginality theory.

Destination Perceptions Across a Vacation

This study investigated change in destination perception during the course of a vacation using in situ research techniques. Cognitive perceptions were represented by destination knowledge and affective perceptions by destination desirability. Prior experience and length of stay in the destination were examined as moderating the level of change between destination perception measures at the onset of a vacation and again upon leaving the destination. ANOVA models showed that experience was a significant main effect on increasing destination knowledge. Desirability perceptions of the destination changed only slightly, and experience or length of stay did not explain any of the change. Findings suggest desirability is generally strong before a trip begins and is hard to affect during a trip particularly when tourists are satisfied with the destination, whereas knowledge levels improve during the course of a trip.

Variable Selection in Tourism Market Segmentation Models

This study segments a zoological park market by vacationers versus nonvacationers and in-state versus out-of-state visitors. As predicted by using the level of discourse theory, the segments differed little in demographic characteristics; however, several differences appeared in trip characteristics, motives, satisfaction, and factors affecting enjoyment. Results suggest marketing strategies to implement.

Experience Expectations of Prospective Volunteer Tourists

The purpose of this article is to use expectancy theory (which suggests that a travel experience that meets or exceeds tourists’ expectations will be viewed positively) to explore the experience expectations and preferences of prospective volunteer tourists (voluntourists). Survey research is implemented to investigate the experience expectations of potential volunteer tourists and considers aspects of expectations that differentiate various groups. Findings indicate that the primary expectation held by respondents in general is the provision of trip-related information. A primary differentiating experience attribute among potential volunteers is the amount of contact people expect to have with residents. The intensity level of physical or emotional demands is also a differentiator. Information from this study can be useful for volunteer tour operators, NGOs, and community stakeholders in the design of a variety of volunteer tourism experiences that can meet the needs of diverse travelers.

Understanding Vacationing Motorist Niche Markets

This article builds on the travel market segmentation research by examining outdoor recreation, sightseeing, and cultural activities as tourism niche markets. Unique to this research is the replication analyses using Manitoba and Arizona as the cases. Results suggest that the nature of a vacation appears to be different across generally accepted niche markets in two distinct vacation destinations.

Social support factors and health among a senior center population in southern Ontario, Canada.

Abstract Past research on senior centers has mainly focused on utilization, frequency, duration of attendance, participation or various activities and services. This study strives to go beyond previous research by examining social support factors and their relationship to mental and physical health across a senior center population in southern Ontario, Canada. Data were collected at two large senior centers in the Kitchener, Waterloo area. We used a self-administered survey among a sample of older participants (n = 186). One-way ANOVA with post-hoc Duncans multiple range tests, t-tests, and linear regression analyses were used to examine the influence of social support (friendship, caregiving and advice) on mental and physical health. The results indicated that caregiving is significantly related to physical health, how respondents feel in general, and happiness with personal life. Advice from others is significantly related to perceptions of having a life full of interesting things. Additionally, respondents who are volunteers perceive better health and social support than non-volunteers, those who eat at the center perceive better health and caregiving support, and those that started a new activity perceived better health and social support from friendships. Implications for social work practice, policy and future research are discussed.