Impact studies in tourism have lured the researchers, practioners and academicians alike since the past. With availability of data on visitor spending habits, spending pattern, regional multipliers, and the development of appropriate models like CGE economic impact in specific regions has become measurable. However the social impact of tourism is difficult to measure. The residents’ attitude towards destination is measured as a part of impact studies in tourism; especially in the context of social impact. Certain limited studies have combined socio economic variables to study socio-economic impact from tourism. An evaluation of resident attitude is done in selective economic impact studies, especially in Indian context.
Resident attitude towards socio- economic impacts of a specific destination must be included in analyzing economic contribution, as resident's attitude may help the policymakers to formulate policies involving local community participation; ushering economic benefits on one hand and plan destination development without hindering quality of life in non economic terms along with maximization of economic gains. This paper has attempted to study the socio-economic impact as perceived by the residents of the Temple town- Tirupati. Pilgrimage tourism products are often construed with sanctity and impact analysis is often restricted to positive impacts. An unbiased evaluation is done in this paper revealing the negative and positive socio-economic impacts from the perspective of local residents of Tirupathi. Maximising economic gains from any destination should not be at the cost of local residents’;thus strategies have been suggested to manage both effectively.
Economic impact, Pilgrimage tourism product, Resident attitude
