EMOTIONAL SOLIDARITY AND TOURISM EFFECT ON SUPPORT FOR TOURISM DEVELOPMENT: RESIDENTS PERCEPTION

The present study employs a framework of residents’ emotional solidarity with tourists (welcoming nature, emotional closeness and sympathetic understanding), and positive-negative impacts to understand residents’ support for tourism. Research model is tested using a sample of 500 residents living in Alanya/Turkey. Data were collected using face-to-face survey. Alternative models were used to test the theoretical structure of this study. The validity and credibility of the constructs were tested through confirmatory factor analysis, while its hypotheses were tested using path analysis. In model 1, the dimensions of emotional solidarity and the positive and negative impacts of tourism and their direct effects on support for tourism were examined and model 2 showed results similar with those in model 1. Results revealed that welcoming nature and sympathetic understanding had a positive effect on the positive impacts of tourism. However, emotional closeness did not have an affect on the positive impacts associated with tourism. In terms of residents’ support, welcming nature had the greatest positive effect on the support for tourism compared to other dimesions included in the framework of emotional solidarity; emotional closeness and sympathetic understanding. The results of this study could enhance destination marketing managers when they need to understand residents’ support for tourism development.