Resident perceptions of a contentious tourism event

Abstract

Contentiously-themed events are a growing but under-researched element of the destination product mix. A survey of 880 adults on Australia's Gold Coast revealed diverse attitudes toward Schoolies Week, an annual high school-leaver celebration characterised by extensive partying and drinking. Most sampled residents are either 'conditional supporters' (33%) or 'conditional opponents' (34%) whose more complex assessments of costs and benefits, as per social exchange theory, include considerations of 'noncosts' and 'non-benefits'. With regard to social representations, 'opponents' (18%) are more likely to be influenced by mass media, social circles and negative personal exposure, whilst 'supporters' (15%) are more likely to rely on their own and their children's schoolie experience. Foreign-born residents are less supportive of Schoolies Week, whilst females are disproportionately represented in the two conditional clusters. The results indicate several strategies for improving resident perceptions of this event. Keywords: Schoolies Week, Events, Event Management, Gold Coast, Cluster analysis, Resident perceptions, Social exchange theory, Social representations theory, Sustainable tourism, Students, Australia