How do Barceloneta residents that directly depend on the tourist industry perceive tourism?

Abstract

The fast development of the tourism industry in destinations brings challenges to the communities that face tourism in their daily life. Major issues have arisen in destinations where residents have started to position themselves against tourism in their neighborhood. This is the case of La Barceloneta neighborhood. This case study analyzes the determining factors in the encounters of hosts and guests with a focus placed on acknowledging the perceptions that the residents dependent on tourism have towards tourists. The study builds on the Social Exchange Theory and the models of Doxey (1975), Butler (1980), Krippendorf (1987), Dogan (1989), Smith (1992) and Ap & Compton (1993). Through five in-depth interviews of Barceloneta residents’ economically dependent on tourism, and the analysis of press releases and governmental published documents, this research describes the current situation of the host and guest relationship in La Barceloneta. The data collection, analyzed through content analysis, suggests that the residents who are dependent on the tourism industry, due to their biased opinion, show a general more optimistic perception of tourists than what press releases report. They showed to be aware of the impacts tourists have on their neighborhood, but they take into account not only the negative repercussion, such as the affected daily life or the increased contamination, but also the positive outcomes such as the economic benefits or the increased standards of living. Lastly, this case study makes recommendations to improve the perceptions that hosts have of tourists, such as the development of a specific tourism plan for La Barceloneta designed with the help of their residents, the education of hosts and guests on tourism benefits and how to behave in the destination, and the implementation of sustainable polices to develop a sustainable tourism model.