Structural modeling of resident perceptions of tourism and associated development on the Sunshine Coast, Australia

The purpose of this study was to apply items on a measurement scale to develop a structural model to describe the tourism impact perceptions of the residents of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia, and how these perceptions affect their support for tourism development. The proposed structural model was deduced using the data collected through a self-administered questionnaire that was delivered to a stratified random sample of residents of three Sunshine Coast local government areas. Results suggested a five-factor perceived impact measurement scale: negative socio-economic impact; positive social impact; negative social impact; positive economic impact; and positive cultural impact. Findings further indicated that the perceived positive economic impact factor has the largest influence on residents’ support for further tourism development.