Food markets from a local dimension – La Boqueria (Barcelona, Spain)

Abstract

Food markets build communities for people, that is, they generate footfall and bring neighborhoods to life. Consequently, they become valuable tourist resources. The success of tourist resources depends on host community support, depends on the positive and favorable opinion of residents. Therefore, the aim of this study is to test different variables (resident place image, community attachment, perceived environmental costs, perceived economic benefits and perceived socio-cultural benefits) to determine which have a direct effect on the support for tourism development, and to determine the moderator role of personal economic benefit in the proposed relationships. Results suggest that personal economic benefit plays an important moderator role between community attachment and support for La Boqueria tourism development and also between community attachment and perceived socio-cultural benefits and support for tourism development in general.