Patrick T. Long

Resident support for tourism development.

Abstract The purpose of this article is to test a model of the relationships among rural resident perceptions of tourism impacts, support for additional tourism development, restrictions on tourism development, and support for special tourism taxes. In May 1987, survey data were collected in 16 rural Colorado communities. It was found that, when controlling for personal benefits from tourism development, perceptions of its impact were unrelated to sociodemographic characteristics and support for additional development was positively or negatively related to the perceived positive or negative impacts or tourism. Support for additional tourism development was also negatively related to the perceived future of the community.

Rural Resident Tourism Perceptions And Attitudes By Community Level Of Tourism

Focusing on the residents of 28 rural Colorado communities, this research examines differences in resident tourism perceptions and attitudes across communities categorized on the basis of the communitys existing level of tourism. The results indicate that the perceived impacts of tourism, both positive and negative, increase with increasing levels of tourism. With respect to resident attitudes toward additional tourism development, however, the results suggest that resident attitudes initially increase in favorability with increasing tourism development, but achieve a threshold level of development beyond which attitudes become less favorable. In this study, this threshold was achieved when approximately 30% ofthe communitys retail sales were derivedfrom tourism. Finally, the results also indicate that resident supportfor special tourism user fees and taxes increases with increasing levels of tourism development.

Rural resident tourism perceptions and attitudes

Abstract The purpose of this research is to examine the influence of participation in outdoor recreation on the tourism perceptions and attitudes of rural residents. Data from five Colorado communities which depend on tourism for at least 25 percent of their retail sales are analyzed. Following a topic of social exchange theory, it is hypothesized that outdoor recreation participants, compared to nonparticipants, have negative perceptions of tourism. The results, however, do not support the hypothesis: there are no differences in the tourism perceptions and attitudes of participants and nonparticipants. However, as the perceived impact of tourism on outdoor recreation opportunities increases, the desirability of additional tourism development decreases significantly and the favorability of special tourism taxes increases.

Boomtown Tourism and Resident Quality of Life: The Marketing of Gaming to Host Community Residents

Abstract The purpose of this research was to compare the tourism development cycle and social disruption theories for assessing the impact of gaming tourism on resident quality of life (QOL) in host communities. Various tourism development cycle theories, all generally based on social carrying capacity, postulate an initial positive change in QOL during the early stages of gaming’s development followed by negative change after the community has reached its “carrying capacity” or “level of acceptable change.” Based primarily in the rural sociology “boomtown” literature, the social disruption theory postulates essentially an opposite effect—an initial negative change in quality of life as the community experiences the transitional stress of rapid casino development followed by positive change as the community and its residents adapt to its new situation. Using data from a nongaming community (Grand Lake, CO), three “early stage” gaming communities (Central City, Blackhawk, and Cripple Creek, CO), and a “later stage” gaming community (Deadwood, SD), the study results support the social disruption theory. Thus, rate of growth is a key variable to be incorporated into the tourism impact literature. However, in concert with social exchange theory, these results are mediated by individual resident attitudes concerning the desirability of and personal benefits from gaming. The study and its conclusions are framed within the context of public relations strategy for casino businesses.

The Economic Impact Of Rural Festivals And Special Events: Assessing The Spatial Distribution Of Expenditures:

The spatial distribution of the expenditures associated with a rural arts and crafts festival was examined. Of the nonresident expenditures associated with the festival, the mean percentage spent in the community by the survey respondents was 69.7%. Importantly, however, 77.9% of this spending was to thefestival booths, many of which were not operated by local residents. More specifically, of the

Resident Support for Gambling as a Tourism Development Strategy

43,689 spent by the survey re spondents,

Early impacts of limited stakes casino gambling on rural community life

32, 719 (74.9%) was to entities outside the local economy. While the generalizability of these results is limited, the findings imply that research which fails to correct for nonlocal spending may significantly overestimate the economic benefits of festivals to the host community.

Resident attitudes toward legal gambling

The purpose of this research was to examine resident support for gambling as a function of the perceived impacts of gambling and the quality of contact between resi dents and gamblers, controlling for levels of personal benefits and the perceived future of the community. Key positive impacts of gambling identified in this research included the number of jobs available for local residents, recreational and cultural opportunities, and the preservation of historical buildings and structures. Negative impacts included increases in the cost of living, traffic congestion, driving hazards, crime, and noise levels. A regres sion model was estimated of resident support for gambling development as a function of personal benefits, perceived future of the community, gambling impacts, and quality of contact with gambling.

Factors Predicting Homeowners' Attitudes toward Tourism: A Case of a Coastal Resort Community

Abstract Owing to the potential windfall profits of casino gambling, rural communities throughout the United States are considering gambling tourism as a means to revitalize failing economies. The communities of Deadwood, South Dakota, and Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek, Colorado, have implemented one form of casino gambling, limited stakes, with varying degrees of success. It is clear from the early experience of these communities that gambling can spawn terrific windfalls — and generate tremendous costs. Thus, public officials, casino owners and managers, community leaders and residents must all understand the issues communities face in making the transition to a gambling economy and plan accordingly. An unbridled move to a gambling economy causes tremendous change and the need for dramatic adjustment in the lives of community residents. Early indications are that planning is essential at the community, state and gambling industry level. Determining appropriate scale, assessing current and future competition, and identifying who should benefit must be an integral part of this planning effort.

Organising resources for rural tourism development: the importance of leadership, planning and technical assistance.

Abstract This paper reports on the development of a scale to measure resident attitudes toward limited-stakes casino gambling as a tourism development strategy in their community. The scale development process started with definition of the construct, identification of 17 measurement items, and data collection in five towns in two US states. The data were subjected to outlier detection, exploratory factor analysis, and unidimensionality tests via confirmatory factor analysis. These procedures yielded a five-item attitude scale with relatively high reliability and significant content and construct validity. The procedures and outcomes of this scale development effort are discussed with recommendations for future research on resident attitudes toward tourism and gambling.