The Effect of Social Capital on Resident Attitudes toward Tourism and Support for Rural Tourism Development

This paper analyzes the effect of social capital on resident attitudes toward tourism and support for tourism based on data collected from 637 residents in Tucker County, West Virginia. Data analysis includes descriptive analysis, factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling, multi-group analysis, and ANOVA. Results confirm findings of other studies that concern for the potential environmental, and social impacts of tourism and long-term planning have a direct positive effect on support for additional tourism development. In addition to the direct effect of the social and environmental impacts of tourism and long-term planning on support for tourism, this study identified that a common vision and participation in local organizations and informal social groups has a significant direct effect on long term planning and protection of community values and an indirect effect on support for tourism development. In addition, significant differences were identified according to group, stake, and power in the community.