Resumen de Stakeholders' Perceptions of Tourism Development In Appalachian Forest Heritage Area
Jinyang Deng, David McGill, Douglas Arbogast, Kudzayi Maumbe
This study uses social exchange theory and stakeholder theory to investigate governmental officials' and local residents' perceptions of tourism development benefits and costs in the Appalachian Forest Heritage Area (AFHA). Results show that respondents are largely congruent on what their communities possess and generally positive toward tourism development in the region. They are also consistent in their perceptions of tourism's economic benefits. However, attitudes held by tourism-related residents are more positive than nontourism-related residents, supporting the social exchange theory. In addition, interaction effects exist between tourism status or stake (tourism respondents vs. nontourism respondents) and social status or power (officials vs. residents) in a way that tourism-related residents are the most positive. They are more positive than nontourism-related officials, who are more positive than nontourism-related residents. No differences exist between tourism-related officials and nontourism-related officials, holding sociodemographic variables constant. This finding not only indicates individuals' interests or stakes in tourism are more predicable of their attitudes toward tourism than sociodemographic variables, but also contributes to the existing literature on how tourism status or stake interacts with social status or power when attitudes toward tourism are compared between governmental officials and residents. Research limitations and future research needs are discussed.
