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The Society’s Heterogeneity Regarding Attitudes towards Tourism: A Cluster Analysis of the Ibiza Residents

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  • José Ramón-Cardona

    (Ibiza Island Council University College of Tourism, University of the Balearic Islands, 07800 Ibiza, Spain)

  • María Dolores Sánchez-Fernández

    (Department of Business, University of A Coruña, 15071 A Coruña, Spain)

Abstract

The residents’ attitudes towards tourism are heterogeneous, although most studies do not focus their analysis on analyzing this variability. The segmentation of residents based on their attitudes has sought to determine the existing profiles within the local society of tourist destinations and their quantitative importance. The aim of this article is to carry out a segmentation of Ibiza residents according to their attitudes towards tourism. In this case, it seeks to analyze the existing heterogeneity in the local society of a mature and highly mediated tourist destination. Ibiza is a Spanish island in the Western Mediterranean with a surface area of 572 km and 150,000 inhabitants. It receives three million tourists a year, making it one of the most internationally known tourist destinations. The methodology used is a descending hierarchical cluster analysis (Howard-Harris algorithm) on a sample of 418 residents selected by a random procedure. The analysis has made it possible to identify five groups with opinions ranging from the most favorable towards tourism (enthusiastic supporters) to the most adverse (critics), with several intermediate groups (interested supporters, supporters with nuanced opinions, and neutrals). The most numerous groups are the supporters with nuanced opinions (23.0%), called by other authors “realists” for being aware of both the positive and negative impacts, and the critics (23.4%) concerned about the negative impacts. The minority group is the neutrals (13.6%). These proportions are plausible given the fact that it is a mature and highly crowded destination. This heterogeneity of attitudes should remind us that, in societies, there are always very different personal situations that will generate very different attitudes, and it is essential to know this social heterogeneity in order to manage the tourist destination correctly.

Suggested Citation

  • José Ramón-Cardona & María Dolores Sánchez-Fernández, 2023. "The Society’s Heterogeneity Regarding Attitudes towards Tourism: A Cluster Analysis of the Ibiza Residents," Societies, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-19, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:13:y:2023:i:7:p:171-:d:1199286
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Birame Sarr & Matías Manuel González-Hernández & Jose Boza-Chirino & Javier de León, 2020. "Understanding Communities’ Disaffection to Participate in Tourism in Protected Areas: A Social Representational Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-22, May.
    2. Laurentina Vareiro & Paula Remoaldo & José Cadima Ribeiro, 2013. "Residents' perceptions of tourism impacts in Guimarães (Portugal): a cluster analysis," Current Issues in Tourism, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(6), pages 535-551.
    3. Jakson Renner Rodrigues Soares & Paula Remoaldo & André Riani Costa Perinotto & Larissa Paola Macedo Castro Gabriel & María Elvira Lezcano-González & María-Dolores Sánchez-Fernández, 2022. "Residents’ Perceptions Regarding the Implementation of a Tourist Tax at a UNESCO World Heritage Site: A Cluster Analysis of Santiago de Compostela (Spain)," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-18, January.
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