Tourism Impact Attitude Scale

What it measures

Measures resident attitudes toward tourism development across two dimensions: perceived personal and community benefits (economic growth, tax revenue, recreational facilities, cultural exchange), and concerns for community stability (crowding, environmental degradation, crime, rising costs, cultural erosion, loss of local character). One of the first rigorously validated tourism impact attitude instruments, foundational to subsequent resident attitudes research. Widely used alongside Social Exchange Theory to explain how residents' cost–benefit assessments drive support for or opposition to tourism development. The scale has been applied across rural, coastal, island, and urban destination contexts.

Representative items

• Tourism development in our area has benefited my life economically. (Benefits)
• Tourism creates new recreational facilities that locals can use. (Benefits)
• Tourism has increased traffic and congestion in our community. (Concerns)
• The quality of life here has declined because of too much tourism. (Concerns)
• Tourism has helped preserve the cultural heritage of our area. (Benefits)

Citation

Lankford, S.V., & Howard, D.R. (1994). Developing a tourism impact attitude scale. Annals of Tourism Research, 21(1), 121–139.