Positive and Negative Effects of Tourism on Local Communities: An Exploratory Study

In Italy, tourism is an economic key element. It contributes 6% of the national added value each year, a percentage that increases to 13% when considering economic activities connected to tourism. In 2023, Italy was ranked as the fifth most visited destination in the world, with an influx of 50 million visitors.

Although tourism brings benefits, in recent years, its excessive presence in certain locations has sparked a heated debate. Terms such as gentrification, overtourism, invasion, and, in some cases, issues related to waste disposal and the so-called capacity exceeded have become common.

What is the opinion of Italians on tourism? To what extent are they aware of the benefits it can bring to their municipality, and how much are they bothered by its presence? This perspective can vary significantly between those living in tourist areas and those who live in areas not affected by tourism.

To answer these questions, we have collected, between November and December 2023, using a snowball sampling approach, a total of 14,000 self-completed questionnaires. Specifically, we wanted to investigate the ability of urban centres to remain socially sustainable and attractive for tourists, as well as residents' perception of the adequacy of facilities and services in neighbourhoods and cities. Furthermore, we have explored the overall vision that citizens have of their city and the elements that make it attractive to tourists, as well as the perception of the tourist impact on their daily lives.

From the cluster analysis conducted on the data, five profiles emerge corresponding to the different attitudes of respondents regarding the impact of tourism on their city.