Social representations and community attitudes towards spring breakers
Article
Monterrubio, J. and Andriotis, K. 2014. Social representations and community attitudes towards spring breakers. Tourism Geographies. 16 (2), pp. 288-302. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2014.889208
Type | Article |
---|---|
Title | Social representations and community attitudes towards spring breakers |
Authors | Monterrubio, J. and Andriotis, K. |
Abstract | Social representations theory has been adopted for explaining tourism impacts and local attitudes. However, its usefulness in segmenting local population in terms of their attitudes towards specific types of tourists has not been tested. This study identifies the attitudes of local people towards spring break, a North American young tourist phenomenon in the context of the Mexican beach resort of Acapulco. Although residents perceive an increase in alcohol consumption, drug use, noise and litter during the spring break season, they largely recognise economic benefits and are thus generally supportive for the phenomenon. Based on these attitudes, three clusters were identified: spring break supporters (identified by their high appreciation of spring break benefits), ambivalents (who are uncertain about both benefits and costs) and realistics (characterised by recognising both benefits and costs). The main contribution of this study lies in the confirmation of the usefulness of social representations theory in explaining residents’ attitudes towards a very specific type of tourists whose hedonist behaviours are a common characteristic. |
Keywords | spring break; social representations; community attitudes; tourism impacts; Mexico; segmentation |
Publisher | Taylor & Francis (Routledge) |
Journal | Tourism Geographies |
ISSN | 1461-6688 |
Electronic | 1470-1340 |
Publication dates | |
Online | 03 Mar 2014 |
15 Mar 2014 | |
Publication process dates | |
Deposited | 20 Mar 2015 |
Accepted | 26 Jan 2014 |
Submitted | 13 Dec 2013 |
Output status | Published |
Accepted author manuscript | File Access Level Open |
Copyright Statement | This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Tourism Geographies on 03 Mar 2014, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/14616688.2014.889208 |
Additional information | Tourism Geographies (Special Issue: Cultural Geographies of Tourism: Image, Identity and Place) |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2014.889208 |
Web of Science identifier | WOS:000337941300009 |
Language | English |
https://repository.mdx.ac.uk/item/84zv0
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Accepted author manuscript
Social Representations and Community Attitudes towards Spring Breakers.pdf | ||
File access level: Open |
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