DEVELOPING A TOURISM IMPACT ATTITUDE SCALE

A multiple item tourism impact attitude scale (TIAS) was developed in response to the need for standardized measurement of resident attitudes toward tourism development. The scale development process and testing of the scale is described in this paper. The tourism impact literature cites a number of key independent variables that influence attitudes toward tourism. Using the TIAS, a multiple regression model was used to test the effects of these independent variables on resident attitudes toward tourism development in the Columbia River Gorge region of Oregon and Washington, USA. Implications for tourism development and planning are described.