In communities where the lives of residents are significantly affected by tourism development, adequate involvement of residents in planning decisions is critical. Tourist communities have distinctive socio#x2010;demographic characteristics including, for example, such resident stakeholder groups as seasonal workers and second#x2010;home owners. Finding appropriate mechanisms for ongoing involvement that affords adequate dialogue among disparate stakeholder groups is a desirable objective for the public involvement process. In this paper, the experience in the resort of Whistler, British Columbia, of conducting small group #x201C;living room meetings#x201D;; is described and evaluated. These meetings offered an alternative procedure for establishing dialogue in a nonintimidating setting. The multimethod procedure employed in the meetings offered diverse opportunities for individual expression and provided both qualitative and quantitative data for planners.
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