Evolving community perceptions of tourism in Westland

Abstract

The main objective of this report is to examine the impacts of tourism on Westland communities and Westland residents' attitudes towards tourism. The particular objectives are: to provide an historical account of the history and development of tourism in the Westland District; to provide an account of community issues, such as local involvement in planning and the provision of infrastructure, that affect local attitudes towards tourism development in the District; to outline the perceptions held by residents towards tourism in Westland and to show how these perceptions have evolved over time; to describe how the Westland community has coped with the various types of tourism development that have occurred in the area; to identify which factors influence residents' perceptions of tourism and the ways in which they have adapted to tourism; to test and refine existing theoretical models of tourism development in the context of tourism in Westland.