Scale development for measuring displacement in rural tourism gentrification: a resident perception perspective

ABSTRACT Displacement plays a central role in the gentrification process, but reliable instruments to measure the extent of gentrification-induced displacement from the perspective of resident perception have been scarce. Against the broader backdrops of frequent urban-rural interactions, securing community residents’ endorsement emerges as a pivotal avenue for advancing local development projects, exemplified by rural tourism development. Thus, this study used 35 interviews from three typical villages and 706 questionnaires from two regional scales to construct a 5-point Likert scale measuring displacement in rural tourism gentrification. The results revealed two dimensions, direct and indirect displacement, that had slight positive and strong negative effects, respectively, on community residents’ attitudes toward further tourism development. This study provides a window into the complex attitudes of residents and a practical instrument for assessing the risks associated with displacement in local development projects characterized by increased mobility, including rural tourism.