Abstract
There has been little research on how destination social responsibility impacts the pro-tourism behaviors of residents. Drawing from place attachment theory and sustainable tourism literature, this study proposes that place attachment mediates the link between destination social responsibility and pro-tourism behaviors. The results from a field survey of local residents around three scenic spots in the Xuefeng mountain area in China reveal that destination social responsibility exerts a significantly positive impact on pro-tourism behaviors of residents, and confirm a mediating effect of place attachment (i.e., place identity and place dependence) in the linkage of destination social responsibility and pro-tourism behaviors. This research provides theoretical and managerial contributions to sustainable tourism literature and advances the understanding of the antecedents of residents’ pro-tourism behaviors.
Highlights
Destination environments and communities are the indispensable compositions of the tourism industry and integrated parts of tourism products
The questionnaire was distributed to a small group of residents in the Xuefeng mountain area for the pilot test (N = 95), and the errors of two items were corrected based on the feedback from the pilot test results
This study integrated the perspectives of Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and tourism literature streams and the place attachment theory by focusing on how destination social responsibility affects residents’ pro-tourism behaviors
Summary
Destination environments and communities are the indispensable compositions of the tourism industry and integrated parts of tourism products. Destination residents exert an increasing impact on the destination’s environment and tourism products because of their everyday living activities within the community, as well as growing face-to-face interaction in tourism activities. Destination residents’ pro-tourism behaviors can be a precondition for sustainable tourism [5]. In the search for additional levers to motivate residents’ pro-tourism behaviors, some tourism companies and governments have turned to social responsibility initiatives. The Chinese government is encouraging tourism companies to participate in targeted poverty alleviation through tourism development. Research like this is desirable to enhance the understanding of whether social responsibility initiatives perceived by residents within the destination community can impact their pro-tourism behaviors
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