Tourism-phobia: the presence, impact and perception of the concept through the vision of the printed press

Abstract

This article presents a quantitative and qualitative analysis conducted into the emergence, use, handling and impact of the concept of tourism-phobia. It considers the principal printed media in Spain, and particularly in Catalonia, as Barcelona has become a focal point for the conflict between tourism and local social agents. In addition to analysing how this term has evolved in selected media based in Madrid and Barcelona since 2008, the article reviews the key sources of the news items published, as well as the way the information has been handled and framed within the newspaper. Finally, it considers how the use of this concept within the mass media has influenced public perception from the perspective of the Agenda Setting or Framing theory. The methodology employed is based on the study and comparison of data collected by Barcelona City Council’s opinion barometer in relation to the evolution of residents’ perception of the tourism issue. The results indicate not only a sharp hike in the use of the term over the last two years, but also a negative attitude towards tourism associated with the more left-wing political stances and a clear link between these variables and the deterioration in public perception of tourism.