Deery, Margaret, Jago, Leo Kenneth and Fredline, Liz (2012) Rethinking social impacts of tourism research: A new research agenda. Tourism Management, 33 (1). pp. 64-73. ISSN 0261-5177

Abstract

This paper examines the literature on the social impacts of tourism on host communities and provides an alternative conceptual framework to the predominance of the quantitative methods currently used in this field of research. It discusses the key themes that have emerged from previous research and the methods used. In so doing, the paper highlights the predominance of quantitative methods and the lack of qualitative inquiry that has led to the evolution of social impact ‘lists’. The paper first provides a brief overview of the importance of social impact research and the current ‘state of play’. Second, it examines the stages of research in this area, acknowledging the difficulties with which researchers have grappled regarding definitions and the dependent variables tested. Third, the paper presents the key literature in the area, grouping the findings into a typology of themes. Finally, a new approach to social impact research is proposed drawing upon research into organisational culture and the framework and methods used in that research.

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