Exploring the relevance of Social Exchange Theory in the Middle East: A case study of tourism in Dubai, UAE

While numerous studies have explored residents' perceptions of tourism, there are three significant gaps with social exchange theory. First, the appropriateness and generalisability; second, the heterogeneity of host population perceptions; third, perceptions in non-Western empirical contexts. A mixed methods study was conducted, using 36 face-to-face interviews with expatriates and nationals in Dubai to develop a survey instrument which returned over 400 responses. Results show that while Social Exchange Theory is appropriate and partially generalisable, substantial adjustments are required to account for external factors such as culture and the political environment. We propose a new theory of Tourism Returns and Moderators (TRAM) to show a more holistic outcome, weighted perceptions, varying moderators, and greater individualised focus. In this study, participants had a preference to support tourism, did not refer to a cost-benefit trade-off, and generally favoured economic benefits over others.