Residents’ support for tourism development: Investigating quality-of-life, community commitment, and communication

Abstract

This study argues that when overall tourism impacts are positive, residents’ quality of life (QOL) increases, thereby positively affecting their attitudes towards tourism initiatives. The study also identifies several other important relationships that have been ignored in the literature. First, QOL may be a crucial push factor for community commitment, which in turn can trigger support for additional tourism development. Second, communication with tourists may moderate the links between QOL, community commitment, and tourism support. Data were collected from 468 residents living in Manavgat, Turkey and analyzed using structural equation modeling and Hayes’s PROCESS macro. The findings show that as the perception of the positive effects of tourism increases, opinions about the QOL will also be optimistic. Importantly, QOL strengthens both tourism support and community commitment. Additionally, community commitment mediates the link between QOL and attitudes towards tourism development. Finally, community commitment increases support for tourism, which is stronger for residents who communicate more with tourists.