Economic crisis and residents' perception of the impacts of tourism in mass tourism destinations

In times of economic uncertainty and crisis, residents' perceptions of the impacts of tourism and their support for tourism development may be different to those noted in times of prosperity. This study tests the influence of an economic crisis on such perceptions and residents' willingness to support the development of tourism. The research compares data gathered in 2006, in a booming economic environment, with data from 2014, in the middle of a long-lasting economic recession. The data are from two major international mass tourism resorts in Spain: Mallorca and Tenerife. Results indicate that an economic recession causes a significant growth of the residents' support towards tourism, particularly due to a significant decrease in the residents' perception of costs related to such development. These findings highlight how economic crises influence residents' perceptions of the impacts of tourism and lead to an underestimation of costs. Hence, it evidences the crucial role that resort managers have to play to ensure the sustainability of the destination at times when a more permissive view is taken by residents.