Geografie 2017, 122, 236-256
Social networks and creation of social capital in second-home localities
Second home tourism has major economic, environmental and social impacts on the localities in question. The aim of the presented study is to find out how second home tourism influences the social environment of a municipality, and whether and how it contributes to the creation of social capital and the knowledge transfer. It ensues from the use of relational data that links appear in the localities primarily on the neighbourly basis. In some cases, the contacts are also used in the place of permanent residence. As a result, the social networks and the knowledge that appear among the participants also have an impact outside a locality in question. The connection to permanent residents of a municipality is rather weak. One can see here an obvious link primarily to major actors or permanent residents living near second-home owners. When establishing contacts, this points out the importance of geographical proximity rather than the often accentuated role of the relationship “second-home owner versus permanent resident”.
Keywords
second homes, social relations, social capital, knowledge transfer.