The Resident Population's Perception of Tourism in The Historic Center of Havana (Cuba)

Abstract

Purpose. Heritage cities face the challenge of sustainable management of activities related to leisure and tourism due to the vulnerability of the environment. Every tourist destination has a social carrying capacity from which levels of the development of the activity are unacceptable, so the presence of tourists can become intolerable to the local population. This research analyzes the perception of the impacts generated by tourism in the residents of the Historic Center of Havana, Cuba.Design/methodology/approach. Firstly, a theoretical framework is set as a base for this research. It has been proceeded to an exhaustive review on the literature about residents’ perception of the impacts generated by tourism. The references related to the relationship between tourism, heritage and city have been considered, which have made it possible to elaborate the context of the tourist development in the Historic Center of Havana. Afterwards, it has been implemented qualitative methodologies commonly used in the Geography of Perception, based on the administration of surveys among the city’s inhabitants.Findings. The results extracted in the research can be used to decision-making, as they reflect the impacts associated with the insertion of tourism in the socioeconomic panorama of local actors, which can support the establishment of management models focused on the resident population.Originality. The research focuses on the resident population’s view of tourist activity in Havana. This element has been barely paid attention in previous research. The analysis of the data from the questionnaires offers valuable information obtained from primary sources.