Journal of Tourism & Hospitality
Open Access
ISSN: 2167-0269
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 2167-0269
+44 1300 500008
Research Article - (2019)Volume 8, Issue 3
The excessive spread of tourism in urban neighborhoods and centers has led to a situation that is known as overtourism. The role of local communities in the development of excessive tourism has long been perceived as important. Locals in smaller destinations, in particular, have felt the effect of increasing tourism which they have been forced to deal with pressure with the disruption from the influx of tourists. Therefore, the aim of the study is to explain the impact of overtourism on the local community in heritage city. The objectives of this research are; i. To determine the changes of local community’ self-efficacy from the impacts of overtourism, ii. To evaluate the impact of overtourism towards the local community. This research is conducted at Bandar Hilir, Melaka by using quantitative descriptive analysis technique. Findings show that most of the respondents agreed that overtourism give a high level of comfort and satisfaction to them. With that, this study proposes viable information for stakeholders in heritage city to ensure the proper tourism planning and management, especially towards the local community.
Heritage city; Impact; Local community; Overtourism
Overtourism depicts destinations where hosts or guests, local community or visitors, feel that there is an excessive number of guests and that the personal satisfaction in the area or the quality of the experience has weakened unsatisfactorily [1]. Overtourism may occur due to many reasons such as the number of tourists come increase which exceeds the carrying capacity and narrow roads become jammed with tourists’ vehicles [2]. However, somehow the population pressure eventually gives effect to the local community that lives there. Local community plays an important part in the tourism industry which to ensure the socio-cultural, political and economic sustainability in their area [3]. Large numbers of tourists can upset the local community, especially if income created by a tourism boom doesn't stream down however rather spills out of the nation. Thus, it was argued that if the local community think that tourism development gives greater positive impacts than negative ones then they are likely to support [4]. There are a wide variety of destinations that now identified as encountering overtourism and happened at heritage sites. According to Borg & Costa [5], heritage tourism segment offers even better development than others, and that visitor numbers in cities of art are rising more than may be expected from the general development figures. Therefore, it is not surprising that locals and tourists are concerned about these places and with the exceeding site’s visitor carrying capacity thus, negative consequences can arise.
A researcher found that research for the impact of overtourism is very limited but many researchers seem interested to complete the gap of knowledge about this topic. The latest research by Seraphin, Sheeran, & Pilato [6] studied about overtourism and the fall of Venice as a destination. In previous years, the survey on the challenge of overtourism has been studied by Goodwin [1]. Thus, studies on identifying the impact of overtourism towards local community in heritage city especially at Bandar Hilir, Melaka are essential to bridge the gap of knowledge. Hence, the objectives of this study are: i. to determine the changes of local communities’ self-efficacy from the impacts of overtourism and ii. to evaluate the impact of overtourism towards the local community.
Overtourism occurs when the balance between the negatives of tourism outweighs the benefits. Overtourism nearly focused on the restructuring of the labour market in modern economics and specifically moves towards an hourglass economy [7]. It often affects both tourists and guests experience the deterioration concurrently and start to rebel against it. Overtourism has developed quickly all over the country especially Europe and in a few places, there have been demonstrations and some of them have involved low levels of risk in a few extraordinary cases violence [1]. This situation shows that how important in considering the image of a destination in terms of capacity to attract visitors and how difficult it is for a destination to patch up its image once it is damaged [6]. In addition, the definition of overtourism refers to the phenomenon of overcrowded tourism destinations, where the carrying capacity is exceeded which celebrates rapid and apparently endless growth in tourism entries. This is supported by an article from Responsible Tourism [2] said that overtourism portrays destinations where hosts or guests, locals or visitors, feel that there are excessively numerous visitors and that the quality of life in the area or the quality of the experience has disintegrated unsatisfactorily.
Impact of overtourism
Some people may think that as the tourism sector is growing quickly in developing countries, there must be negative impacts. But, others think all societies and cultures are changing because of their lack of ability to evading outside impacts. The impact of overtourism on a destination can be measured on different levels, for example, the level of the individual attraction and the function of destination as a whole. The character of the city figures out which of the levels is the most relevant. Furthermore, the impact has various dimensions [5]. Explanations for the impact of tourism research reported by most commentators are related to the failures of communication and social engagement in networks [8]. The sense and intensity of the impact rely on both tourist’s numbers and the characteristics of the destination. The impact may be physical, economic or social and it may be either in a positive or negative sense [9].
The importance of the adverse impacts of tourism, as implied in the term overtourism is related to several well-established causes. Overtourism contrarily impacts the lives of host community by the basis of economic benefit, the grounds of social, cultural, and environmental destruction. As indicated by Goodwin [1], a radical change in the views of local people of tourism, in numerous destinations a tipping point has been reached and mass tourism has turn into a local political issue, some of the time overflowing into the road. Overtourism and its impact on host communities have given very questionable convictions: a few propose that it is an opportunity for underdeveloped countries to provide economic growth and social wellbeing development. Oppositely, a few researchers brought up that mass tourism may discourage the genuineness of local cultures [10].
Fundamentally, the tourism sector is tied in with improving places for individuals to live and better places for people to visit. According to Teo et al. [11], it is only the obligation of one element or gathering yet connects with the duty of all stakeholders in tourism such as the tourists, tourism organizations, local communities, planning authorities, transport operators, non-governmental organizations and central and local government. The stakeholders are to assume liability for their activities and the effects of their activities. An observation that tourism research focused on the positive aspects of tourism, emphasized the negative and balanced level with the systematic approach. In addition, the neglected areas in the body of overtourism literature involve issues of social and institutional impact on host governments and communities [12]. Therefore, securing support and involvement in tourism development is important and it requires accessing the pulse of the communities in improving this sector.
Case study
This study is focused at a few of villages in Bandar Hilir, Melaka such as Kampung Morten, Bandar Kaba, Bukit Cina, Kota Laksamana, Kampung Hulu and Kampung Keling. It is because the local community of the selected villages totally were received the impact due to the overtourism in Bandar Hilir, Melaka.
Questionnaire survey and sampling of respondents
The quantitative approach was used to evaluate the impact of overtourism in the local community at Bandar Hilir, Melaka. This approach was selected based on the retrieved data. Therefore, a purposive sampling technique under non-probability sampling had been used to the total numbers of 384 respondents includes respondents from Kampung Morten, Bandar Kaba, Bukit Cina, Kota Laksamana, Kampung Hulu and Kampung Keling.
Method of analysis
The data from the quantitative survey were analysed using SPSS version 20. The ordinal and nominal data were scrutinised to obtain results in terms of frequency, percentage, and mean so as to meet the outlined of two objectives.
Determine the changes of local communities’ self-efficacy from the impacts of overtourism
This section is to achieve the first objective on determining the changes of local communities’ self-efficacy from the impacts of overtourism. This section of questions was identified in the aspects of performance outcome such as knowledge and skills, vicarious experiences such as practice and attitude, verbal persuasions such as ability and physiological feedback such as emotions.
Performance outcomes (Knowledge and skills)
Based on Table 1, the results are based on the impact towards selfefficacy of the local community through performance outcomes. The highest mean for this section is overtourism help gives opportunities to be an entrepreneur with 4.05 values which the highest number of respondents that agree with this statement is 44.8% and only 1.9% strongly disagrees with this statement. Moreover, a few of the respondents were comes from sellers therefore, it really helps them to be an entrepreneur since they take the opportunity to gain income for their effectiveness of life (Table 1).
Table 1: The statistic scale of respondents through performance outcomes.
| Statement | Frequency (f) & Percent (%) | Mean | Standard deviation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||
| With greater knowledge of community, the attitudes towards tourism become more favourable | 5 1.6% |
7 2.3% |
66 21.3% |
146 47.1% |
86 27.7% |
3.97 | 0.853 |
| Provides opportunity to improve knowledge about other countries and cultures | 9 2.9% |
17 5.5% |
44 14.2% |
145 46.8% |
95 30.6% |
3.97 | 0.965 |
| Improve soft skills in facing various kinds of tourism situations | 4 1.3% |
14 4.5% |
46 14.8% |
151 48.7% |
95 30.6% |
4.03 | 0.868 |
| Gives opportunities to be entrepreneur | 6 1.9% |
15 4.8% |
43 13.9% |
139 44.8% |
107 34.5% |
4.05 | 0.923 |
Vicarious experiences (Practice and attitude)
Table 2 shows the result of statistic through vicarious experiences in the context of practice and attitude of respondents. 39.7% of respondents believed that overtourism help to practice develops resources for learning and the development of the sense of community with high mean value 3.98 and only 2.9% did not agree with this statement. Further, 43.9% of respondents agreed that overtourism have change attitude to be more behave when faced with a different kind of tourist’s behaviour and only 1.9% disagreed. It also believed that the strength of this attitude increased as the accessibility of people’s attitudes toward the attitude-object increased. In short, the importance of an attitude increases as the mere number of times a person expresses an attitude also increases (Table 2).
Table 2: The statistic scale of respondents through vicarious experiences.
| Statement | Frequency (f) & Percent (%) | Mean | Standard deviation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||
| Practice develop resources for learning and the development of sense of community | 9 2.9% |
6 1.9% |
70 22.6% |
123 39.7% |
102 32.9% |
3.98 | 0.947 |
| Change attitude to be more behave when facing with different kind of tourists behaviour | 6 1.9% |
7 2.3% |
70 22.6% |
136 43.9% |
91 29.4% |
3.96 | 0.886 |
Verbal persuasion (Ability): Based on Table 3, the result of the statistic of respondents through verbal persuasion is shown. Verbal persuasion is measured based on the ability of respondents. Highest mean value with 4.04 was signifying that overtourism increase sense of excitement to be in contact with people from other countries with only 39.4% agreed. It is because respondents can increase their communication skills instead of just maintained with the original language. Sellers are mostly experiencing this situation since they need to communicate with tourists that come to buy and directly it shows the courtesy of our culture when in contact with a different race. Next, overtourism can increase ability towards selfmotivation achievement with mean value 3.95 and almost half of the respondents agree 43.9% and 1.9% of respondents did not agree (Table 3).
Table 3: The statistic scale of respondents through verbal persuasion.
| Statement | Frequency (f) & Percent (%) | Mean | Standard deviation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||
| Increase ability towards self-motivation achievement | 6 1.9% |
8 2.6% |
71 22.9% |
136 43.9% |
89 28.7% |
3.95 | 0.891 |
| Sense of excitement to be in contact with people from other countries | 5 1.6% |
15 4.8% |
56 18.1% |
122 39.4% |
112 36.1% |
4.04 | 0.939 |
Physiological feedback (Emotions): Table 4 shows the statistic of respondents through physiological feedback which conducted based on respondents emotions. The highest mean value is 4.05 with the statement that stated overtourism has opened a new door and can create new relations (experience) among respondents and tourists. 43.9% agreed and believed that overtourism helps respondents to create new experiences to be in contact with the different type of peoples which these experiences is really priceless to get. Only 1.6% disagreed which researcher conclude that some of the respondents were in the range of age above 60, so it hard for them to communicate with tourists which most tourists are using different language. This type of respondents mostly do not know to speak and thus they disagree that overtourism can help them to create new relations with others. Empathy which means sensing the feelings and attitudes of others that experienced it personally is important to be considered for overcoming barriers to the communication, based on culture in order to communicate successfully in with others.
Table 4: The statistic scale of respondents through physiological feedback.
| Statement | Frequency (f) & Percent (%) | Mean | Standard deviation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||
| Opened a new door and can create new relations (experience) with tourists | 5 1.6% |
10 3.2% |
55 17.7% |
136 43.9% |
104 33.5% |
4.05 | 0.887 |
| Control self-control (anger) when facing with variety of human behaviour | 9 2.9% |
14 4.5% |
78 25.2% |
107 34.5% |
102 32.9% |
3.90 | 1.008 |
For the lowest mean, overtourism help to control self-control (anger) when faced with a variety of human behaviour were agreed by 107 respondents (34.5%) with mean value 3.90. Most of this situation facing by sellers which they need to deal with different behaviour of peoples and thus, sometimes can increase their anger when need to treat them. However, with most of the sellers have opened their business for a long period of time, they are mostly used with this kind of situation and directly help them to control their anger in order to maintain their business due to a lot of competitors at that area. If not, they will eventually lose their monthly income.
Evaluate the impact of overtourism towards domestic life of the local community
This section is to achieve the second objectives to analyse the statistic scale to evaluate the impact of overtourism towards the domestic life of the local community. These sections of questions were identified in the aspects of social impacts, economic impacts, and environmental impacts.
Social impacts: Table 5 shows the statistic of the respondents based on social impacts. There are two common highest mean value which is 4.00, therefore, the result of high standard deviation is placement which is 0.818 that stated most of the respondents agree that housing characteristics such as housing size, housing location, and better housing facilities are important factor to consider among respondents before making a final decision on choosing the house type. However, only 0.6% disagreed with this statement since, for them, the house is just a place to stay without the need to judge all the characteristics stated.
Table 5: The statistic scale of respondents based on social impacts.
| Statement | Frequency & Percent | Mean | Standard deviation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||
| Housing characteristics improve satisfaction level | 2 0.6% |
8 2.6% |
68 21.9% |
143 46.1% |
89 28.7% |
4.00 | 0.818 |
| Neighbourhood characteristics important in predicting my dissatisfaction | 1 0.3% |
10 3.2% |
62 20.0% |
152 49.0% |
85 27.4% |
4.00 | 0.796 |
| Workplace condition lead to lower productivity, poorer work quality or physical and emotional stress | 1 0.3% |
12 3.9% |
79 25.5% |
117 37.7% |
101 32.6% |
3.98 | 0.876 |
| Work related stress are the issue affecting professions and work | 4 1.3% |
18 5.8% |
79 25.5% |
139 44.8% |
70 22.6% |
3.82 | 0.893 |
| Price of house availability and rents have increase | 7 2.3% |
27 8.7% |
82 26.5% |
125 40.3% |
69 22.3% |
3.72 | 0.980 |
| Overcrowding leads to disturb current daily life | 3 1.0% |
25 8.1% |
94 30.3% |
104 33.5% |
84 27.1% |
3.78 | 0.968 |
For the lowest mean value 3.72, respondents agree with 40.3% and disagree with 2.3% that price of house availability and rents have increased at the study area. Most of the respondents were staying at their own house, therefore the phenomena of the increasing price of house availability are not being faced by the respondents and respondents did not matter regarding these issues. While for other 2.3% respondents, they faced this situation and in short, they know this price is increasing by the year.
Economic impacts: Table 6 as shown shows the result of the economic impacts. The researcher concludes that, overtourism help respondents a lot by giving the opportunity to earn an income and overtourism also cause increase standard of living with slightly average mean value with 4.02 and 4.05 respectively. 40.3% of respondents agree that their standard of living was increasing because the price of their daily needs increased affected by the overtourism. Only 1.4% among respondents disagrees with this statement in which the researcher concludes that they come from a rich family thus, it does not affect their daily routine. Richardson [13] derived that tourists are attracted to attack areas with high values of cultural. The cultural and natural heritage of developing countries is frequently based on assets, and tourism represents an opportunity for income generation through the preservation and conservation of heritage values. In this manner, tourism empowers communities that are poor in material wealth but rich in history and cultural heritage to leverage their special resources for economic development.
Table 6: The statistic scale of respondents based on economic impacts.
| Statement | Frequency & Percent | Mean | Standard deviation | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||
| Gives opportunity to earn an adequate income | 2 0.6% |
12 3.9% |
69 22.3% |
121 39.0% |
106 34.2% |
4.02 | 0.883 |
| Cause increase standard of living | 4 1.4% |
7 2.3% |
66 21.3% |
125 40.3% |
108 34.8% |
4.05 | 0.876 |
Environmental impacts: On the environmental impacts, Table 6 shows the result. Overtourism causes accelerated the growth of cities that cause traffic problems with the mean average value 4.17 which is highest among other statements. A total of 39.7% are agreed that the growth of cities due to overtourism have cause traffic problems which clearly affect their daily routine to work. This is because most of the respondents are work in the private sector therefore, they need to use the main road to go to work which they faced this problem every day. This was the serious issues among respondents because out of 310 respondents were agreed that traffic problems happen at their housing area. Due to this problem, minimal pollution such as water, air, and noise pollution was highly spread. With the mean value 3.53 as lowest among others statement, 31.3% are either agree nor disagree since they are already familiar with the current situation thus, they are fine with the problems.
Overtourism is the destinations where hosts or guests, local community or visitors, feel that there is an excessive number of guests and that the quality of life in the area or the quality of the experience has deteriorated unacceptably. Based on findings for objective no 1, it shows that respondents mostly agree with every variable that has been come out by the researcher. In context performance outcomes, respondents believe that through knowledge and skills, overtourism help in giving opportunities to be an entrepreneur. Someone with a creative idea and high thinking skills is able to come out any input in order to get side income which when its success, it will increase its income year by year. For vicarious experiences, respondents agree that with practice and a good attitude, it helps them to practice develop resources for learning and the development of their sense with a total percentage of 39.7%. Next, verbal persuasion that measured based on the ability of respondents. Respondents believed that with good ability in communication, it will produce a sense of excitement to be in contact with people from other countries. Lastly, the emotions of respondents have measured which respondents agree that good emotions regarding overtourism can open a new door and can create new relations (experience) with tourists.
For objective no 2, the findings are evaluated based on social, economic and environmental impacts. From the social impact, the highest mean value is 4.00 which showing respondents believed that housing characteristics can improve their satisfaction level and neighbourhood characteristics also important factor to be considered in predicting their dissatisfaction. This is due to the overcrowding situation which many housings are being constructed and therefore a few of consideration need to be considered. For economic impacts, respondents convince that overtourism gives the opportunity to earn an adequate income and overtourism also causes increase standard of living at a certain area. Lastly, in environmental impacts due to the accelerated growth of cities, it has been causing traffic problems everywhere especially during weekends and school holidays. In short, overtourism gives impact in good and bad ways towards self-efficacy and domestic life of the local community. From all the findings that have been obtained by the researcher, this research has achieved towards successful as it has achieved the entire objectives which to determine the changes of local communities’ self-efficacy from the impacts of overtourism and to evaluate the impact of overtourism towards domestic life of the local community.
Citation: Anuar ANA, Ridzuan FH, Jaini N, Sulaiman FC, Hashim NI (2019) The Impact of Overtourism Towards Local Community in Heritage City. J Tourism Hospit 8: 406. doi: 10.35248/2167-0269.19.8.406
Received: 11-Mar-2019 Accepted: 27-May-2019 Published: 03-Jun-2019 , DOI: 10.35248/2167-0269.19.8.406
Copyright: © 2019 Anuar ANA, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.