Factors Affecting Residents' Support for Tourism Development: Case of the Aurès Cultural Landscape

Abstract

The paper aims to understand residents' perceptions and opinions of tourism impacts and to determine whether there is a relationship between tourism impacts and support/participation in tourism in a developing region: The Aurès. A total of 360 questionnaires were collected from the inhabitants of 4 villages, selected according to their tourist frequentation. 50 items concerning demographic characteristics, tourism impacts and tourist support/involvement were used. The results indicate that the inhabitants generally have positive perceptions and opinions towards tourism development. Motivated by the economic factor and concerned about privacy issues, residents of villages with tourist traffic are more supportive of tourism development than others. From the perspective of the tourism development that the city government has initiated, these results provide useful information for the planning and management of future tourism projects.

Keywords

• tourism development
• residents' opinions and perceptions
• tourism impacts
• tourism support
• aurès cultural landscape