Understanding Residents\u27 Opinions and Support Toward Sustainable Tourism Development in the Caribbean: The Case of Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Kitts and Nevis are two islands forming one nation in the Caribbean. This paper examines differences in the perceived economic, socio-cultural, and environmental impacts of tourism between residents of Saint Kitts and Nevis and the residents\u27 attitudes about the pace and direction of tourism development. A self-administered household survey was used to assess perceptions of these impacts from tourism among residents. After excluding 53 non-residents, effective sample size was 269. ANOVA was used to analyze differences between the two islands. Residents of both islands shared similar perceptions about the pace and direction of tourism development in their islands. However, there were significant differences in their perceptions of the impacts of tourism. Nevis residents, more so than Saint Kitts residents, had more favorable perceptions about the economic benefits of tourism and looked at land-based tourism more favorably than cruise tourism. Negative impacts on the environment were not salient and residents had favorable perceptions of positive socio-cultural impact from tourism. The results emphasize the importance of understanding and allows views of local community members for sustainable tourism development. Local community support for tourism is vital for effective tourism planning and management