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Touristification and Residents’ Well-being: The Case of Napier, New Zealand

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Thesis(4.37 MB)

Date

2025

Authors

Bakker, Birthe

Supervisor

Deuchar, Carolyn
Andajani, Sari

Item type

Thesis

Degree name

Doctor of Philosophy

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Publisher

Auckland University of Technology

Abstract

Community well-being dimensions are integral to sustainable tourism development. Prior to the COVID-19 global pandemic, exponential growth in tourism and a heavy focus on the financial returns to be gained from the visitor economy outweighed the environmental and sociocultural pillars of sustainability in New Zealand and elsewhere. Border closures, lockdown measures and disconnection from other parts of the world have provided residents with insights into what their local communities look like when the excesses of tourism activities are reined in. During lockdowns, residents have been required to live more locally, and as a result, become aware of their attachment to place and the impact of tourism on their community. The impact of tourism on residents’ quality of life affects satisfaction with a variety of life domains determining their subjective well-being. This research examines the effects of touristification on residents’ place attachment and their subjective well-being. The research contributes to the growing focus on prioritising residents and host communities in moves towards more sustainable tourism. The thesis adopts place attachment theory as a tool to understand the effects of touristification on residents’ subjective well-being in terms of their sense of belonging. A multiple methods approach was used to collect data through a review of secondary data, semi-structured interviews, and a focus group. A case study of Napier, New Zealand is used to build an understanding of how tourism can strengthen residents’ sense of place, community and belonging by the examination of residents’ experiences and aspirations. Despite academic interest in residents’ attitudes and support for tourism, a deeper understanding of the effects of touristification in small cities on residents’ place attachment remains largely unexplored. This study reveals the drivers of residents’ perspectives and highlights the need to integrate these into tourism planning to ensure that development is both sustainable and aligned with residents’ well being. The findings indicate that the evolution of tourism in Napier involves a complex interplay between tourism planners and public agencies, local businesses, community groups and associations, and residents. The chapters illustrate that a lack of inclusive decision making and authentic representations in the tourism message can undermine residents' attachment to their place. The research provides theoretical and methodological contributions to the current literature on urban tourism – specifically small cities. From an applied perspective findings from the research provide valuable insights for policymakers, tourism planners and public agencies. It highlights the importance of balancing economic growth with residents' well being. The research highlights that authentic representation of local identity are essential for enhancing residents' sense of belonging and mitigating negative effects of touristification, such as gentrification, overcrowding and cultural appropriation. The research contends that effective tourism governance, true partnership and meaningful community engagement are crucial in enriching both community well-being and the visitor experience.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10292/19500

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Doctoral Theses