Local Voices and Sense of Place : Community Perspectives on Tourism-Related Environmental and Social Change Along the Wild Atlantic Way in County Mayo

Sammanfattning

When one thinks of Ireland's Western seaboard, the Wild Atlantic Way immediately comes to mind. Since its inception in 2014, this government-backed tourism marketing initiative has stood the test of time, from its early days as a catalyst for increased tourism in rural Western Ireland following the economic crash of 2008/2009 to the complete downfall of international tourism during the COVID-19 pandemic - resilience has always been its forte. What also can be classed as ‘resilient’ are the local communities who make the Wild Atlantic Way so successful; these local actors, from café owners to community groups to local residents, have brought fresh ideas to the table since its development. The success of the world’s longest continuous coastal driving route is without doubt warranted, but with every success comes limitations. This study explores how tourism development along the Wild Atlantic Way has been experienced at the community level, with County Mayo as the focus area. It serves as a real-world example of how community perspectives are shaped on the ground in relation to social and environmental change along this section of the route. This research adopts a qualitative approach, drawing on interviews with a diverse range of local actors along Mayo’s Wild Atlantic Way, providing rich insights into lived experiences and local perspectives. These local voices, which shape this study, are further shaped in their own right by a sense of place - thus serving as the major theme of this master’s thesis. Without understanding how themes such as sense of place resonate with local communities, these perspectives cannot be fully examined or understood. Ultimately, these places have long existed as living environments for local communities, while tourism, as a dynamic phenomenon, has developed around them. It is therefore important to examine how this development has served local communities, particularly in terms of social and environmental change along Mayo’s Wild Atlantic Way on the west coast of Ireland. The findings of this research unearth the raw, candid experiences and perspectives of local residents through the completion of 15 semi-structured interviews by demonstrating the factors at play in the shaping of sense of place - from both a strengthening and disrupting standpoint. By showcasing these insights, there is a strong contribution to 2 broader discussions on sustainable tourism by highlighting the importance of integrating local perspectives and place-based understandings into future tourism planning and policy.