Influence of Place Identity on Residents' Attitudes Toward Tourism Impacts and Support of Tourism Development (a Case of The Tourism Region of Kamardugh)

Since, tourism is essentially a place-based phenomenon, it is assumed that the place identity influences the attitude and support for tourism development. This study aims to examine the influence of place identity on residents' attitudes toward tourism impacts and support of tourism development in Tourism Region of Kamardugh. A self-administered questionnaire was designed to measure Kamardugh residents' place identity as well as their attitudes and support for tourism development. The study population consisted of residents of Kamardugh tourism region which 220 individuals were selected according to Krejcie and Morgan tables. The Random sampling technique was employed to collect data. The face validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by expert. The reliability of the main scales of the questionnaires was examined by Cronbach Alpha coefficients, which ranged from 0.72 to 0.85. The present study finds a positive significant relationship between support of tourism development with distinctiveness, self-esteem, self-efficacy, attitude toward positive impacts of tourism. Variable of attitude toward negative impacts of tourism had significant negative relationship with support for tourism. Regression showed that self-efficacy, self-esteem and continuity are significant predictors of attitude toward positive impacts of tourism. These variables predicted 58% of the variance in attitude toward positive impacts. Distinctiveness, continuity and self-esteem have significant effect on attitude toward negative impacts of tourism. These variables predicted only 0.07 % of the attitudes toward negative impacts. Moreover, the Regression showed that place-based distinctiveness, self-esteem and attitudes toward negative and positive impacts of tourism affect residents’ support for tourism. These variables, explained 56% of the changes in the amount of support for tourism development.