Residents' coping with cruise tourism

Cruise tourism is a contested practice, requiring research that moves beyond oversimplified accounts of progress or despair and applies primary data at the community level. Using in-depth interviews with residents of Eidfjord, Norway, during the pandemic-induced “break” from cruise tourism, this study critically examines their perspectives on and coping with cruising. It reveals that the pandemic has spurred residents to shift from more individualistic (reactive/anticipatory) coping to more communal (proactive/preventive) coping. Findings suggest that the good/bad, for/against debate about cruising needs to transition towards a comprehensive approach emphasizing not only sustainable planning, regulations, and visitor management but also a better understanding of how residents cope with cruise tourism and distinguish between impacts that they can and cannot cope with. [Display omitted] •Finds that individual residents' have an ambivalent relationship with cruise tourism.•Coping theory is introduced to understand this relationship.•Many residents want cruising back despite negative impacts, as they can cope with it.•Covid prompted a shift in coping practices from individualistic to communal.•Cruise debate should focus on how residents weigh pros and cons, and how they cope.