Antecedents of Community Support for Local Tourism Development: A Spotlight on Residents’ Participation in North Cyprus

Abstract

The effectiveness of tourist development at community-level destinations depends on resident involvement. Through a case study of Esentepe Tourist Village in North Cyprus, this study investigates the impact of residents' engagement on their support for tourist growth at the community level. This study discovered that residents' attitudes toward development are significantly influenced by participation in tourism development using the structural equation model (SEM), which included the variables of community attachment, economic dependence, perceived positive impacts, perceived negative impacts, and attitude toward tourism development. Participation by locals has a direct impact on their attitudes toward tourism development as well as indirect effects by enhancing their favorable image of it. Empirical findings show the importance of resident involvement in tourist development, particularly for regional and local attractions.