Local re-appropriation of tourism : The case of Verbier (Switzerland)

Abstract : The article endeavours to analyse the representations of the local population of a mountain area affected tourism development by examining the discourse of the inhabitants. Using the example of Verbier in the Valais region of the Swiss Alps, we attempt to show that the relations between the resident population and the local area depend on a tourism-based productive system and that these relations are strongly influenced by tourism-based representations of both the local area and the landscape. Going beyond this observation, our analysis reveals that the touristic places and the landscape, originating a priori in their perception by people from outside the area, become transformed into identity attributes that are used by die resident population to define the relationship that they have with their local area. The representation of certain places in the Verbier local area is examined. These are found to be subjected, in varying degrees, to this process of identification.Petite Mathieu. Local re-appropriation of tourism : The case of Verbier (Switzerland). In: Revue de géographie alpine, tome 93, n°3, 2005. Mélanges 2005. pp. 68-78