Host Community Attitudes and Overtourism : The Case of the Puster Valley in South Tyrol, Italy

Abstract: This study investigates host community attitudes towards tourism in South Tyrol’s Puster Valley in Italy along with predispositions against the emerging phenomenon of overtourism and explores the factors influencing its formations, as similar research in the same European context with a more mature tourism industry is still underdeveloped. Applying quantitative methods, data was collected through an online survey between May and June 2021. A total of 17 attitude statements were analyzed using IBM’s SPSS and the results indicate that tourism impacts in the valley are perceived evenly throughout the whole community while it was proven with Social Exchange Theory that people involved within the tourism industry are less inclined to perceive negative impacts. Choosing the Pragser Wildsee as a case, the analysis further reveals that overtourism is not only affecting residents in its vicinity put has more far-reaching consequences. Even the results not being very surprising, the study is confirming tourism-related issues and suggests more need in investigating resident attitudes in similar environments.