Influence of Community Attachment and Personal Benefit on Residents' Support for Tourism Activities in Emerging Island Destinations: The Case of Cape Verde

Tourism has become an essential activity for the economies of developing island destinations. Few studies have focused on the influence of community attachment and personal benefits on residents' perceptions of impacts and support for tourism in these areas. Moreover, many previous studies have yielded ambivalent results on the role of community attachment. In the present study, based on social exchange theory, we tested a theoretical model that analyses these aspects in a socio-economic context such as the Cape Verde archipelago with a strong impact of emigration, where community attachment or the personal benefits produced by tourism can help explain the level of residents' support. Quantitative research was carried out through a survey of residents and 518 valid responses were obtained. The model was tested using structural equations with PLS. The results suggest that personal benefits influence both directly and indirectly, through perceptions of tourism impacts, and residents' support for tourism. It is also found that community attachment influences residents' perceptions of tourism impacts. Theoretical and practical implications of the results obtained are also discussed. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to understand how community attachment and personal benefits influence residents' support for tourism activities in emerging island destinations, using Cape Verde as a case study. Methods: The researchers conducted quantitative research through a survey of residents in Cape Verde. They obtained 518 valid responses and tested a theoretical model based on social exchange theory. The model analyzed the causal effects of community attachment and personal benefits on residents' perceptions of tourism impacts and their support for tourism. Conclusions: The study found that both community attachment and personal benefits play a significant role in influencing residents' perceptions of tourism impacts and their support for tourism development. Personal benefits had direct and indirect effects on support, while community attachment influenced residents' perceptions of tourism impacts. Implications: The findings suggest that to promote sustainable and conflict-free tourism development, destination managers should create opportunities for local residents to benefit from tourism activities directly or indirectly. Additionally, reinforcing feelings of belonging and community attachment could help mitigate migratory stress faced by emerging tourism destinations in developing countries like Cape Verde. Limitations: The study has several limitations. Firstly, it focused solely on Cape Verde as a single developing island destination, so the results may not be generalizable to other locations with different cultural contexts. Secondly, the sample was unbalanced, and the tourism impacts might vary on different islands, potentially introducing some bias.