Difficulties for enjoyment of public spaces by residents: Maldonado-Punta del Este conurbation

Abstract

[Abstract]: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine whether the various types of negative impacts have an effect on the general attitude toward tourism and the difficulty for the enjoyment of public spaces. Design/methodology/approach – It is a quantitative study that analyzes the causal relationships between variables through structural equation models. This study uses data from a sample of 420 residents from Maldonado and Punta del Este. Findings – The result obtained shows that only the cultural loss is significant to explain the residents’ attitudes. On the other hand, the cultural loss, the environmental deterioration and the saturation are significant to explain the difficulties for the enjoyment of public spaces. Research limitations/implications – The main limitations are the fact of performing the analysis in a specific destination with peculiarities that may affect the results and the representativeness of the sample used. Practical implications – The enjoyment of public spaces is a good indicator of the perception of negative impacts, so managers of urban tourist destinations can use this element as an indicator of quick consultation on residents’ attitudes. Originality/value – It is a study that focuses on the negative impacts of tourism and its effect on the public spaces. The importance of public spaces in tourist destinations is under studied.