This research project was implemented in 2019 and aimed to develop indicators to measure the quality of life in Tyrol . These quality of life indicators are intended to show how the quality of life in selected tourist destinations in Tyrol is perceived by different population groups and how it is influenced by tourism and its various forms and developments.
The central research question was: "How does tourism development influence the quality of life in Tyrolean destinations and which factors are decisive for a positive/negative perception?". The study emphasizes the relevance of a high perceived quality of life among locals for sustainable and successful tourism development. It is emphasized that the measurement of purely economic effects (e.g. GDP) is insufficient to assess the prosperity of a region, which underlines the need to develop a more comprehensive measurement tool.
Approach and methods
The project followed a structured five-step approach:
1. theoretical background:
A systematic literature review defined the concept of quality of life with a focus on tourism and identified relevant theoretical concepts and existing indicators in this context. It was found that the definition of quality of life has evolved from a quantitative to a qualitative interpretation of subjective well-being and is understood as a multidimensional construct that encompasses objective and subjective indicators as well as different areas of life.
2. development of measurement indicators:
The indicators obtained from the literature review were discussed in a focus group with seven experts in order to adapt and further develop them. The result of this step was a collection of relevant indicators for measuring quality of life in Tyrol. Cultural and political factors were not considered in this study, as no significant differences in these areas were expected in Tyrol and the survey duration was limited. Objective quality of life parameters were also not used directly, as they do not directly measure the impact of tourism development on residents. Two categories of questions were developed for each indicator: general satisfaction and the influence of tourism.
3. evaluation of the measurement indicators for index creation:
The collected indicators were presented and discussed with experts from the tourism industry and research. A model for calculating the quality of life index (QoLI) was created. A 5-point Likert scale was used for the survey (1=very dissatisfied/very negative, 5=very satisfied/very positive), and the question blocks were asked separately according to satisfaction and the influence of tourism
4. empirical survey:
The data basis was created by means of a quantitative survey using telephone interviews in the period January-February 2019. A total of 840 people were interviewed. The empirical study was conducted in four selected Tyrolean destinations: Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, Stubai, Innsbruck City and the Karwendel Silver Region. These regions were selected based on their core tourism turnover.
5. utilization of results and implications:
The collected data was summarized and interpreted in order to derive recommendations for action for destination managers and Tyrol's tourism strategy.
The developed Quality of Life Index (QoLI) The Quality of Life Index (QoLI) was developed from the subjective perceptions of the respondents. It consists of the areas "Economy" (employment opportunities, financial situation, cost of living), "Social" (supply situation, infrastructure, leisure facilities) and "Ecology" (tourism volume, environmental protection, land use, traffic volume). Based on the statistical analysis, "safety" was included in the LQI as an independent factor.
Central results
General satisfaction: A very high level of directly surveyed satisfaction with the general living situation was found in all four regions (average value of 4.25 on a scale of 1 to 5). The rural regions of Stubai (4.38), Silberregion Karwendel (4.32) and Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis (4.29) tended to show a higher level of satisfaction than Innsbruck (4.02).
Indirectly determined satisfaction (LQI): The average LQI for satisfaction across all four pilot regions is 3.73. Satisfaction with safety (4.19) and social factors (4.05) is generally very high, followed by economic (3.52) and environmental factors (3.14).
Influence of tourism: On average, respondents rated the influence of tourism on their general living situation as generally positive (average value of 3.25). The indirectly calculated value for the influence of tourism on the various areas of life is 3.15 and is therefore rated as slightly positive.
The influence of tourism on social factors (3.67) and safety (3.12) is rated most positively. The influence on economic factors is rated as neutral to generally positive (3.18). A slightly negative influence is perceived for the ecological factors (2.62).
Problem areas:
In particular, the cost of living (satisfaction 2.90; influence of tourism 2.42) and the volume of traffic (satisfaction 2.61; influence of tourism 2.10) were assessed critically, with both low satisfaction and a more negative description of the influence of tourism. Environmental protection and land/area use also show negative influences of tourism.
Regional differences:
In regions with a high core tourism turnover (Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis and Stubai), the influence of tourism is perceived significantly more positively (Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis 3.39; Stubai 3.23) than in regions with a lower core tourism turnover (Silberregion Karwendel 3.00; Innsbruck 2.97). Satisfaction tends to be higher in rural regions than in Innsbruck.
Outlook and recommendations for action
The study recommends using the developed index in several regions or Tyrol-wide in the future in order to analyze regional differences in more detail and make well-founded political decisions. There is a need for action in the areas of cost of living (especially housing) and transport/mobility, for which innovative solutions, possibly through digitalization and "sharing systems", must be found. In addition, offers that create cost advantages for locals should be further developed. It is recommended that the "safety" factor be surveyed separately and in more detail in future studies. The LQI can serve as an important tool for underpinning the value of locals in tourism policy and comprehensively presenting the impact of tourism projects.