Understanding Tourism Development: A Representational Approach

Meliou, Elina and Maroudas, Leonidas (2009): Understanding Tourism Development: A Representational Approach. Published in: TOURISMOS: An International Multidisciplinary Journal of Tourism , Vol. 5, No. 2 (15 October 2010): pp. 115-127.

Abstract

The article investigates hotel employees and postgraduate students’ representations of “tourism development”, using social representations theory. Data from a sample of eighty participants were collected on Chios Island, Greece. To reveal social representations a word association procedure was applied followed by a correspondence analysis. The analysis attempts to map the meanings associated with “tourism development” and to pinpoint the links between those meanings. Results highlight differences and similarities in the representation of “tourism development” according to individuals’ social membership, offering an interesting insight for employers and educators.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: tourism development, social representations, word associations, hotel employees, tourism education
• Subjects: O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development; M - Business Administration and Business Economics ; Marketing ; Accounting ; Personnel Economics > M1 - Business Administration; L - Industrial Organization > L8 - Industry Studies: Services > L83 - Sports ; Gambling ; Restaurants ; Recreation ; Tourism

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