Abstract
The theme of the thesis is the study of the economic impact of tourism upon a regional economy, employing a multiplier technique adapted to fit the requirements of a disaggregative tourist expenditure analysis. The study seeks not only to examine the overall impact in aggregative terms but also to demonstrate the differing economic impacts generated by the expenditure of identified categories of tourists. For this, tourists were classified firstly on the basis of the type of accommodation used whilst at their holiday destination and secondly according to their socio-economic group. In the introductory chapter, the aims, scope and relevant concepts are discussed. Chapter 2 places the research in its regional context by providing the necessary background profile of the study area. The third chapter is devoted to a review of related literature. The research involved original survey work, details of which are given in Chapter 4. The purposes of the surveys together with the techniques adopted and the questionnaires used, are discussed. They were designed to yield vital information on tourists' expenditure - particularly its initial distribution into, and subsequent circulation through, the local economy. Chapter 5 provides the salient results which are then used in the calculations of total numbers and overall expenditure estimates of visitors to the study region. The methodological format of the thesis is presented in Chapter 6. The differential multiplier model, and the derivation of the basic estimates required for its implementation are explained in full. The application of the model is spelt out in Chapter 7 and the required multiplier coefficients derived. The analysis supplied indicators showing the different income effects generated by a unit expenditure of each of the categories of tourists. In the final chapter the local economic impact of each identified tourist category is systematically demonstrated and the overall impact of touristy on the regional economy assessed. To conclude the thesis some of the limitations and gaps highlighted by the analysis are raised and, following from this, a number of directions that future research might take to remedy these, and extend the range of the analysis, are suggested.