How much is too much? Social sustainability & tourism intensity

Abstract of the study

This study examines the relationship between tourism intensity, the social sustainability of residents and support for tourism development in an Alpine destination. It also examines the influence of perceived benefits, employer image and the economic relevance of tourism. Building on existing research on residents' attitudes towards tourism impacts and social sustainability, a quantitative study was conducted by analyzing data from telephone interviews with 1,500 Tyrolean residents. The results confirm differences in social carrying capacity between regions with different levels of tourism intensity.

The results show a relationship between social sustainability and willingness to support tourism development and confirm the positive influence of perceived benefits and economic outcomes on tourism development. The study contributes to the literature on tourism perceptions and social sustainability boundaries by introducing the dimension of tourism intensity. It provides valuable insights into residents' attitudes towards tourism development in a destination where the host-guest relationship is particularly close

Findings from this study

• Factors influencing support for tourism development: The study confirms that perceived benefits from tourism are positively related to support for tourism development. The employer image of the tourism sector also plays a significant positive role here.
• Social carrying capacity, measured by the disruption caused by tourists in everyday life and overcrowded leisure locations, is negatively associated with the willingness to support tourism development in a region. The impact of overcrowded places during leisure time is stronger than the disruption to everyday life. In the overall analysis, the economic relevance of the sector showed no significant relationship to the willingness to support.
• Differences in the perception of social carrying capacity according to tourism intensity: The study shows significant differences in social carrying capacity across regions with varying levels of tourism intensity. In particular, the carrying capacity limits are more likely to be reached in regions with low tourism intensity and in urban areas (Innsbruck city) than in regions with high tourism intensity. Residents in areas with high tourism intensity tend to perceive more benefits and a more positive employer image of tourism and feel less disturbed by tourists in their daily lives. These results contradict previous studies, which assume an increase in negative perceptions with increasing tourism intensity.
• More critical attitudes in regions with low tourism intensity: The results indicate that residents in regions with low tourism intensity show a more critical attitude and a more negative perception of tourism impacts than those in regions with high tourism intensity. This could be due to the fact that residents in high-intensity regions benefit more directly from tourism. This finding is consistent with studies that emphasize economic benefits as a predictor of positive perceptions.

Publication: Denise Fecker, Theresa Mitterer-Leitner, Birgit Bosio & Hubert Siller (2025)