Residents’ engagement and local tourism governance in maturing beach destinations. Evidence from an Italian case study

In academia as well as in practice there is increasing interest in governing the complex relationships within destinations. Nevertheless, a gap persists in knowledge on how to engage the local community in the tourism development process. This paper analyzes residents’ perceptions, attitudes, and involvement related to tourism development in a mature Italian “Sun, Sea and Sand” tourism destination. Exploratory factor analysis followed by cluster analysis revealed four groups of residents representing different levels of interest towards tourism ranging from euphoria to apathy. The findings and conclusions are useful for tourism policymakers in Italy and elsewhere where there is a critical need for stakeholder management and other strategic management approaches in the public realm.

► Our study focuses on Residents’ Engagement in the tourism development process.
► A mature Italian “Sun, Sea and Sand” tourism destination is used as case study.
► Exploratory factor analysis and cluster analysis are conducted.
► A low level of community integration was discovered.
► Internal marketing campaigns are suggested to enhance resident involvement.