Residentsʹ support for tourism development: The role of residentsʹ place image and perceived tourism impacts

Drawing on the triple bottom line approach for tourism impacts (economic, socio-cultural and environmental) and adopting a non-forced approach for measuring residentsʹ perception of these impacts, this study explores the role of residentsʹ place image in shaping their support for tourism development. The tested model proposes that residentsʹ place image affects their perceptions of tourism impacts and in turn their support for tourism development. The results stress the need for a more flexible and resident-oriented measurement of tourism impacts, revealing that more favorable perceptions of the economic, socio-cultural and environmental impacts lead to greater support. Moreover, while residentsʹ place image has been largely neglected by tourism development studies, the findings of this study reveal its significance in shaping residentsʹ perception of tourism impacts as well as their level of support. The practical implications of the findings for tourism planning and development are also discussed.