Measuring Sustainable Tourism Development in Remote Rural ...

Residents in Lindoso/Soajo are very positive when it comes to the impact of tourist and
the level while the citizens in Svaneke are not as positive towards tourism as it appeals
above. Residents in Lindoso/Soajo do not think that tourism will have a negative impact
on incidence of crime, will not have a negative impact on recreation areas, is not a
burden for community services and does not have a negative impact on the
environment. They think that tourism will encourage investment in their community and
will provide jobs for the local people. According to the residents of Lindoso/Soajo,
should the region attract more visitors to the area, they would like to be involved in
decisions about further tourism development.
Most of the statements in table 6 show that even though residents in Svaneke are to
some extent positive towards tourism (statements 22 and 23 ) they still believe that the
tourists are a burden on the community services, that the tourists have increased the
crime problems, that tourism has negatively impact on the environment, that the region
should not try to attract more tourists and they are not that convinced that tourism
encourages investment in the local economy.
Table 6: Average scores for the 33 items on residents opinion about tourism in the Community
Statement
Lindoso/
Soajo
Svaneke Numerical
Difference
1 Tourists are a burden on the Community services. 1.88 4.07 2.19
2 Tourism encourages investment in our local economy. 4.00 1.93 2.07
3 Tourism development in my community will provide jobs for local people. 4.17 2.17 2.00
4 It is important that Community residents be involved in decisions about tourism. 4.17 2.24 1.93
5 Tourists crowd out local residents in good recreation areas. 2.92 4.14 1.92
6 Communities of this region should not try to attract more visitors. 1.90 3.82 1.92
7 Tourism has increased the number of crime problems in the Community. 1.98 3.79 1.81
8 Tourism has negatively impacted the environment. 2.47 4.18 1.81
9 The tourism industry provides many worthwhile employment opportunities for 3.20 1.72 1.48
Community residents.
10 More outdoor recreation development is not desirable. 2.10 3.57 1.47
11 The Community should take steps to restrict tourism development. 2.68 4.14 1.46
12 In the shops and restaurants, tourists are preferred compared to local people. 2.85 4.22 1.37
13 The Community is becoming overcrowded because of more tourists. 2.18 3.48 1.30
14 I believe tourism should be actively encouraged in my community. 4.43 3.22 1.21
15 Decisions about how much tourism we should have in the Community are best 2.72 3.71 0.99
left to the private sector.
16 Tourists do not pay their fair share for the services they use. 2.68 3.63 0.95
17 The overall benefits of tourism outweigh the negative impacts 3.38 2.45 0.93
18 Tourism is responsible for too fast a rate of development in the Community. 2.48 3.39 0.91
19 By the way of rising tourism there are more cultural events. 3.44 2.62 0.82
20 The most important factor in determining how much tourism to have in the
Community is the impact on local quality of life.
3.66 2.89 0.77
21 The number of jobs produced by tourism is the best measure of success for the
Community.
3.83 3.19 0.64
22 The Quality of public services has improved due to tourism in my community. 3.09 3.67 0.58
23 The community should encourage more intensive development of tourist 4.21 3.64 0.57
facilities.
24 Shopping opportunities are better in my community as a result of tourism 3.26 2.76 0.50
25 My community should become more of a tourist destination 4.12 3.68 0.42
26 Since tourists have arrived I have more recreational opportunities available. 2.95 3.37 0.42
27 The benefits of tourism outweigh the negative consequences of tourism
development.
2.97 2.71 0.26
28 Our household standard of living is higher because of money tourists spend 2.68 2.89 0.21
here.
29 I would prefer that tourists visit our area but not move here. 2.98 3.17 0.19
30 The Quality of life in the Community has improved because of tourism. 3.38 3.46 0.08
31 Most of the jobs in the tourism industry are low paid. 3.72 3.66 0.06
32 The jobs tourism provides are highly desirable jobs. 3.63 3.67 0.04
33 The environmental impacts resulting from tourism are relatively minor. 3.00 3.03 0.03
(strongly agree=5; strongly disagree=1)