Residents’ perception of tourism impacts and their support for tourism development: a study of a Bektashi faith destination in Türkiye

ABSTRACT Prior research has broadly addressed the link between residents’ perceptions of tourism impacts and their support for tourism development (STD) in different destination-based contexts. However, the literature on residents’ perceptions of the impacts of tourism on their faith and how these perceptions affect their STD in a faith tourism destination remains tenuous. This study seeks to fill this gap by investigating the link between residents’ perceptions of the economic, cultural, environmental, social and faith impacts of tourism and their STD in the Bektashi faith tourism destination. A total of 244 valid questionnaires were obtained from the inhabitants of Nevşehir, Türkiye. The authors applied fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and PLS-SEM as asymmetrical and symmetrical approaches, respectively. The symmetrical approach demonstrated that only perceived cultural, social and faith impacts positively and significantly affect residents’ STD. The asymmetrical results provided more complex compounds of tourism impacts, with six configurations sufficient to create a high level of STD. The fsQCA analysis confirmed that only perceived faith impact was a necessity in determining residents’ STD. The results of the study suggest that, in order for faith tourism destinations to thrive, responsible authorities should avoid diminishing the faith elements.