Host community perceptions of cruise tourism in a homeport: A cluster analysis

This study applies a factor-cluster analysis to a sample of 321 residents in the city of Valencia based on their perceptions of the impacts of cruises on their city. Three clusters of residents were identified, namely 'pessimists', 'cautious supporters' and 'optimists'. Overall, the findings reveal that most respondents doubt the magnitude of positive impact in terms of welfare, social, economic and heritage aspects. Furthermore, there are significant differences between the three clusters, based on age and geographical proximity to the tourist area and port. No significant differences were found based on gender, level of education, numbers of members in household, occupation, length of residency and economic reliance on cruise tourism. This provides contradictory insights when compared to previous studies and sheds light on the fact that studies applying the community-based tourism approach in the context of cruise activity are highly site-specific and hardly generalizable. Hence, contributions to the body of knowledge and managerial implications are discussed and suggestions for further research are given.