Purpose – This article aimed to analyze the interrelationships between cognitive and emotional factors capable of influencing community support for the development of religious tourism, grounded in Social Exchange Theory, Place Identity Theory, and Emotional Solidarity Theory.
Design/methodology/approach – A structural model of the relationship among variables was proposed and tested with 474 residents of the municipality of Santa Cruz, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, a destination that has been developing religious tourism since 2010.
Findings – The findings revealed significant relationships between residents' perception of quality of life and the impacts of religious tourism, as well as between place identity and community support for tourism development, which were mediated by emotional solidarity.
Practical implications – The results provide data and information useful to public management for the strategic planning of religious tourism, taking into account the maximization of economic benefits, the improvement in quality of life, the valorization of place identity and hospitality, with the aim of fostering residentes support for tourism development.
Originality/value – This study contributes to the field of tourism by integrating Social Exchange Theory, Place Identity Theory, and Emotional Solidarity Theory, bringing together cognitive and emotional factors into a single structural model capable of explaining residents' support for religious tourism.
Research limitations – Limitations of the research include the choice of non-probabilistic convenience sampling and the application of the model to a single religious tourism destination.
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Turismo: Visão e Ação, linked to the Graduate Program in Tourism and Hospitality - Master's and Ph.D., is a scientific journal published in a continuous flow system, with an interdisciplinary and international scope. According to Qualis/CAPES criteria (2021-2024), it is classified as 'A4' in the fields of Administration, Accounting Sciences, and Tourism. Registered with ISSN number 1983-7151, Tourismo: Visão e Ação began its activities in 1998 with printed publications in English and Portuguese. In 2008, it transitioned to an online publication, expanding its reach to a broader audience. It maintains a policy of being an open-access journal without submission or access fees. The abbreviated title for the journal is Tur., Visão e Ação, commonly used in bibliographies, footnotes, references, and bibliographic captions.
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