Using a recently developed tourism impact scale, this study has made an attempt to
identify the residents’ perceptions of the impacts of tourism in a Turkish resort town. In order
to determine the underlying dimensions of the perceived impacts of tourism by local
residents, a 33-item tourism impact scale was subjected to factor analysis. The analysis
yielded seven factors: Social and cultural, economic development, quality of environment,
state and local services, cost of living, community attitude, and crowding and congestion,
with each factor having a satisfactory level of reliability.
The study has found that the local residents perceived the economic aspects of tourism
impact most favourably. Residents also evaluated social and cultural impacts of tourism
positively. These findings provide support for previous studies. However, quality of
environment, community attitude, and crowding and congestion were found to be the least
favourable aspects of tourism impact.