Rising tourist numbers in the city of Dublin:an analysis of the impacts on the quality of life

Abstract. The consequences of tourist activities on host communities have recently gained more and more attention. In many cities the local population has started to complain about tourism negatively impacting their quality of life [Qol]. Therefore, it is important to collect information about which parts of the Qol are endangered since the local population plays a major role in the tourism sector of a country. In the present study the local population of the Irish capital Dublin serves as the case of research. This is appropriate since the friendliness and the hospitality of the local population in Ireland is one of the most important reasons for visiting the country. Moreover, Dublin has recorded strong increases in tourist numbers over the last years. The concept of the Qol and the social impact research in tourism serve as the theoretical framework for this study. It is investigated how tourism impacts on different areas of the Qol and how these are subjectively perceived. For that reason, the following research question is derived: How are the increasing tourist numbers in Dublin influencing the quality of life of the local population? A quantitative approach was chosen to answer this question and to verify the derived hypotheses. The data was collected via an online survey, which was directed to people currently living in Dublin. It was found out that tourism impacts on the Qol in Dublin are not dependent on the district where the participants live and for how long the participants have been living there. However, it was identified that people who are working in tourism perceive stronger impacts of tourism and that the perception of economic factors plays an important role in the overall satisfaction with the Qol. Concluding, it can be said that the subjective perception of the Qol was rated as good by a large share of the participants. The study has practical implications since it contributes to an understanding of the locals’ present perception of the Qol in Dublin. This information can be used to take countermeasures early in case the residents’ attitude towards tourists seems to shift