Premium
The moderating role of nationality in residents' perceptions of the impacts of tourism development in the U nited A rab E mirates
Author(s) -
Hammad Nada Malalla,
Ahmad Syed Zamberi,
Papastathopoulos Avraam
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
international journal of tourism research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.155
H-Index - 58
eISSN - 1522-1970
pISSN - 1099-2340
DOI - 10.1002/jtr.2241
Subject(s) - nationality , tourism , perception , social exchange theory , marketing , economic impact analysis , psychology , business , social psychology , geography , immigration , economics , archaeology , neuroscience , microeconomics
Abstract The purpose of this paper is to investigate residents' perceptions of tourism impacts and whether nationality moderates the relationship between these perceptions and support for tourism development in the UAE. Using data collected from 979 respondents from the UAE, a questionnaire assessed the moderating effect of nationality on residents' perceptions of the social, cultural, environmental, and economic impacts of tourism. Social exchange theory is used as a theoretical framework for this study because it considers the heterogeneity of a community and explains the different perceptions held within it. The findings of this study show that nationality moderates the relationship between residents' perceptions of the impacts of tourism and their support for tourism development in the UAE. Specifically, nationality moderates the relationship between residents' perceptions of negative social impacts, positive cultural impacts, and negative and positive economic impacts and their support for tourism development. This study can assist tourism officials in the UAE in developing strategies that consider the diversity of a community with respect to the nationality of its residents.