A two-way causal chain between tourism development and quality of life in a small island destination: an empirical analysis

ABSTRACT

This study postulates that tourism development (TD) and residents' quality of life (QoL) may have an intrinsically reciprocal relationship. The possible connection between TD and QoL is investigated in the island of Aruba, with economic development as a mediating variable. This investigation contributes to the literature by emphasizing the active role of QoL in the relationship with TD through a subjective well-being approach, and by expanding our understanding of the development concept. The study also advances the scope of tourism theory by presenting new propositions. The methodology consists of applying exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses combined with structural equations modeling. The results suggest that TD has a direct and indirect impact on QoL, and that QoL has an indirect effect on TD, via economic development. These findings provide new insights on the dimensions that shape the link between TD and QoL.

小岛旅游目的地旅游发展及居民生活质量间的双向因果关系链：实证分析

本文假定旅游发展和居民生活质量有内在地相互关系，以阿鲁巴岛为对象，经济发展为中介变量进行研究，并有如下贡献：通过主观幸福感标准强调生活质量在旅游发展关系中的积极作用，深入了解发展概念及以新的命题扩展了旅游理论的范围。本文使用了探索性和验证性因素分析及结构方程模型的方法。结果显示旅游发展对生活质量有直接和间接的影响而反之通过经济发展的作用有间接影响。这些发现为联系旅游发展及生活质量提供了新的视角。

KEYWORDS:

• Tourism development
• quality of life
• subjective well-being
• economic development
• small island destination

关键字:

• 旅游发展
• 生活质量
• 主观幸福感
• 经济发展
• 小岛旅游目的地

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Aruba Tourism Authority.

Notes on contributors

Jorge Ridderstaat

Jorge Ridderstaat (PhD) is the manager of the Research Department of the Central Bank of Aruba. His research interests include analyses in the areas of tourism demand, tourism dynamics, tourism-quality of life and the economic impact of tourism, particularly in small islands and developing countries.

Robertico Croes

Robertico Croes (PhD) is professor, Chair of the Tourism, Events and Attractions Department, and Associate Director of the Dick Pope Sr. Institute for Tourism Studies at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida. His areas of interest include tourist flows, destination management, economic development performance and quality of life in developing countries and small island destinations.

Peter Nijkamp

Peter Nijkamp (PhD) is full professor of regional and urban economics and economic geography at the Free University, Amsterdam. In the past years, he has focused his research in particular on new quantitative methods for policy analysis, as well as on spatial-behavioral analysis of economic agents. He has broad expertise in the areas of public policy, services planning, infrastructure management and environmental protection.