Explaining Perceived Impacts of All-Inclusive Resorts through Community Attachment

Abstract

Antalya, with its high percentage of all-inclusive resorts (hereafter abbreviated AIR), is a prime tourist destination in Turkey. The purpose of this study was to examine the interrelationships‖ between‖ residents’‖ attitudes‖ about‖ their‖attachment to their local community and attitudes about AIR impacts. A survey was conducted in four key districts in Antalya (based on the concentration of AIRs in the areas): the Antalya city center, Kemer, Serik and Manavgat, yielding a robust sample (n = 660). Exploratory factor analysis of the Perceptions of All-Inclusive Resorts Scale revealed four unique factors (e.g., three focused on negative impacts and one on positive impacts). The study adopted the Community Attachment (CA) Scale and Perceptions of All-Inclusive Resorts (PAIR) as conceptual frameworks.‖The‖study’s‖findings‖demonstrated‖that‖highly‖attached residents tend to perceive negative impacts of AIR. Findings provide empirical support for the employment of the community attachment framework within studies concerning AIR perceptions. Implications are described and directions for future research are discussed

Keywords

• All-inclusive resorts, Antalya, Turkey, Resident attitudes, Community attachment scale