Does living in the vicinity of heritage tourism sites influence residents’ perceptions and attitudes?

Rasoolimanesh, S. Mostafa; Taheri, Babak; Gannon, Martin; Vafaei-Zadeh, Ali; Hanifah, Haniruzila

Abstract

This study investigates whether the perceptions and attitudes of residents living within the vicinity of heritage tourism sites differ from those living further afield. It examines residents' attitudes toward tourism development; community attachment; local environment and culture; economic gain; and involvement, alongside the moderating role of distance from heritage tourism sites. In doing so, it investigates how the aforementioned factors influence residents' perceptions of tourism development in their city. Data was collected from inhabitants of Kashan and Tabriz, two historic cities couched within Iran's growing heritage tourism sector, and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings demonstrate significant differences between the perceptions of tourism impacts, economic gain, environmental and cultural attitudes, and involvement between residents living within the vicinity of heritage tourism sites and those living further afield. However, these findings contradicted the hypotheses; identifying higher positive perceptions, environmental and cultural attitudes, economic gain, and involvement for residents living far from heritage tourism sites. Further, the findings did not support the moderating role of distance for the effects of influencing factors on residents' perceptions. Therefore, this study proffers significant theoretical contributions and practical implications with regards to developing sustainable tourism in Iran.

Citation

Rasoolimanesh, S. M., Taheri, B., Gannon, M., Vafaei-Zadeh, A., & Hanifah, H. (2019). Does living in the vicinity of heritage tourism sites influence residents’ perceptions and attitudes?. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 27(9), 1295-1317. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2019.1618863

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 10, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Jun 5, 2019
• Publication Date: Jun 5, 2019
• Deposit Date: May 10, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 6, 2020
• Journal: Journal of Sustainable Tourism
• Print ISSN: 0966-9582
• Electronic ISSN: 1747-7646
• Publisher: Routledge
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 27
• Issue: 9
• Pages: 1295-1317
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09669582.2019.1618863
• Keywords: Residents' perceptions; distance from tourism sites; vicinity to tourism sites; moderating effects; heritage tourism; Iran
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/1791898
• Contract Date: May 10, 2019