Resident perceptions and support before and after the 2018 Taichung international Flora exposition

Abstract

ABSTRACT The 2018 Taichung World Flora Exposition was the largest international tourism event hosted in Taiwan. Hosting governments aim to improve the well-being of residents and gain their support by hosting megaevents. However, few studies have examined the mediating role of subjective well-being by surveying the same group of residents before and after a megaevent. On the basis of social exchange and stakeholder theories, this study investigated the effect of residents’ perceived benefits and costs on subjective well-being and support for megaevents. Furthermore, changes in the perceptions and attitudes of residents before and after the event were assessed. Pre-event and postevent questionnaires were collected from 262 residents. The findings indicated that the effects of social benefits on subjective well-being were strengthened and the effect of social cost on subjective well-being was weakened as the event progressed. Moreover, subjective well-being mediated the relationship between perceived benefits and support for megaevents. This research extends current knowledge on event tourism and revealed changes in resident perceptions and attitudes before and after a megaevent. These findings could help governments and destination managers host megaevents and promote tourism development.