Community based tourism development - insights from Split, Croatia

Lidija Petrić () and Smiljana Pivčević ()
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Lidija Petrić: Faculty of Economics, Department of National Economy, Split, University of Split, Croatia
Smiljana Pivčević: Faculty of Economics, Department of National Economy, Split, University of Split, Croatia

Tourism and Hospitality Industry from University of Rijeka, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the concept of community and the impacts tourism development poses to it from the community members’ perspective. Also the paper analyses whether community members are capable to manage their own (tourism) development and what might be possible ways in which they affect the choice of the policies and measures aimed at optimization of tourism impacts. Methodology – Besides providing the theoretical analysis and framework, the paper aims to explore the attitudes of the citizens of Split towards tourism development impacts and the role of tourism in building the “sense of community”. Their involvement and participation in local tourism development and policy making will also be viewed through the prism of Social Exchange Theory (SET). The pilot research on 132 community members was conducted using structured questionnaire. Findings – The theoretical part of the paper will explore the notion of community and its relation to the destination concept. Also, it will introduce the founding of the Social Exchange Theory (SET) to explore the attitudes of the local community members towards tourism development impacts. The empirical research will test the dependencies developed through the theoretical part and give valuable insights about the state of the art found in the Split destination/community context. Contribution – Although it is agreed upon by practitioners and researchers that community participation is essential in providing positive attitudes towards tourism and its impacts, their interrelations have not gained substantial attention in Croatian academic community. This paper aims at filling this gap and thus contributing to better understanding of these constructs and their dependencies, which can also help in optimizing tourism management practices.

Keywords: community; tourism development; Social Exchange Theory; Split; participation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L83 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016-04
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Published in 23rd Biennial International Congress Tourism & Hospitality Industry 2016, April 2016, pages 294-307

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