Hospitality in transition

Verena Ötzbrugger: The tourism industry has been one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the world for years. However, this continuous growth means that more and more destinations are reaching their limits. The main victims of this development are the local population. Anti-tourism initiatives and protest movements make it clear that the tension between locals and tourists is increasing and that the phenomenon of overtourism is no longer just an urban problem. This raises the question: "How do locals in rural destinations perceive (over)tourism?". The aim of my thesis was therefore to make the attitudes, needs and expectations of the local population visible and thus contribute to a differentiated view of tourism acceptance in Alpine regions.

Verena Ötzbrugger: From the end of April to the beginning of May, semi-structured interviews were conducted with people living in the Landeck district. The sample took into account different places of residence and realities of life within the Landeck district in order to capture as wide a range of perspectives as possible. The information obtained was evaluated using a thematic content analysis. This method makes it possible to work out patterns in the statements of the interviewees and to systematically form categories. A total of eleven central categories were identified, from which positive and negative factors influencing tourism acceptance were derived.

Verena Ötzbrugger: The recommendations for action can essentially be categorized as follows:

• Participation of the local population: To ensure that the further development of tourism is in line with the wishes, concerns and expectations of the local population, participatory participation formats must be created that include all affected stakeholders and provide a space for discussion.
• Knowledge transfer and awareness-raising: Targeted awareness-raising is required, with awareness-raising work carried out by the destination management to inform locals about the intentions of tourism development.
• Quality instead of quantity: The focus should be shifted from the permanent quest for more tourists to an improvement in quality. Regions should not attract more guests, but rather improve the quality of existing offers and services.
• Seasonal expansion: The seasonal expansion of tourism offers throughout the year is recommended, as the equalization of visitor flows has a positive effect on the everyday life of locals, the vacation experience of guests as well as nature and the environment.
• Focus on sustainability: As the success of rural destinations can be strongly attributed to their unspoiled nature, it is crucial that sustainable strategies are implemented.Future projects should therefore be critically evaluated in terms of their impact on nature and the environment.

Verena Ötzbrugger: Despite the generally supportive attitude, it became clear that this threatens to tilt in the future as the pressure increases. Alpine tourism has reached a critical point where further quantitative growth during the peak season means noticeable losses for the local population. As the negative influencing factors show, the perceived disadvantages increasingly manifest themselves as economic, spatial and ecological restrictions. Tourism is no longer just seen as a driver of regional prosperity, but as a cause of restrictions and problems in everyday life. This tense relationship increasingly harbors the risk that the tourism industry will lose the support of the population, even in rural destinations.