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Published by the Oregon State University Sustainable Tourism Lab, this research one-pager examines whether support for tourism crosses political lines among Oregon residents. Led by Professor Todd Montgomery, founder of the OSU Sustainable Tourism Lab, the piece draws on data from the lab's multi-year programme of resident sentiment research.
The central finding is that resident perspectives on tourism are more nuanced and more bipartisan than is often assumed. Residents across the political spectrum weigh both the economic benefits tourism brings to their communities and the costs — traffic, housing pressure, environmental impact — that it can impose. The snapshot offers a framework for understanding why residents in some communities support new tourism initiatives while others remain cautious.
This research is particularly timely given what the lab describes as a rising wave of tourism-related legislation and increased political scrutiny of the sector. The bipartisan nature of resident sentiment suggests that evidence-based policy — rather than either uncritical promotion or outright restriction — is likely to find the broadest public support.
The OSU Sustainable Tourism Lab's broader body of work, including its multi-year study published in December 2025, found that tourism costs are beginning to outweigh benefits in many popular US destinations, making the political economy of sustainable tourism policy increasingly relevant for destination managers worldwide.
Published by the Oregon State University Sustainable Tourism Lab, this research one-pager examines whether support for tourism crosses political lines among Oregon residents. Led by Professor Todd Montgomery, founder of the OSU Sustainable Tourism Lab, the piece draws on data from the lab's multi-year programme of resident sentiment research.
The central finding is that resident perspectives on tourism are more nuanced and more bipartisan than is often assumed. Residents across the political spectrum weigh both the economic benefits tourism brings to their communities and the costs — traffic, housing pressure, environmental impact — that it can impose. The snapshot offers a framework for understanding why residents in some communities support new tourism initiatives while others remain cautious.
This research is particularly timely given what the lab describes as a rising wave of tourism-related legislation and increased political scrutiny of the sector. The bipartisan nature of resident sentiment suggests that evidence-based policy — rather than either uncritical promotion or outright restriction — is likely to find the broadest public support.
The OSU Sustainable Tourism Lab's broader body of work, including its multi-year study published in December 2025, found that tourism costs are beginning to outweigh benefits in many popular US destinations, making the political economy of sustainable tourism policy increasingly relevant for destination managers worldwide.
