Evaluating perceptions of residents’ towards impacts of tourism development in Emirates of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Abstract

The purpose of this paper id to investigate the influence of nationality on residents’ perceptions of the impacts of tourism, and their support for tourism development, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from self-administered questionnaires from 407 residents, representing 30 nationalities residing in Abu Dhabi. Findings The findings suggest differences in perceptions of the impacts of tourism between national and expatriate residents. Despite these differences, both groups reported support of tourism development. Research limitations/implications This paper groups residents into only two groups – nationals and expatriates – which limits the explanation of findings. Tourism officials should customize strategies to reach targeted group of residents. Originality/value Extant literature examines residents’ perceptions of the impacts of tourism in homogenous groups, and little research explores the influence of nationality on residents’ perceptions. This study is the first to be conducted in Abu Dhabi – where more than 80 per cent of the population is comprised of expatriates – that identifies differences in perceptions between national and expatriate residents regarding tourism’s impacts.