Diving into residents’ pro-tourism behaviour: A literature review

Abstract

Residents not only act as passive subjects who experience the effects of tourism. Beyond the traditional study of their perceptions and attitudes, they are also active agents whose behaviours influence the image of the destination and the satisfaction of tourists. To date, some outstanding works have reviewed the existing literature on residents' perceptions of tourism impacts and residents' attitudes toward tourism. However, no other review studies have addressed the resident pro-tourism behaviour issue with the specific aim of developing a conceptual framework. This study aims to address this gap through a systematic review (following the PRISMA protocol) to identify and classify residents' behaviours towards tourism and, to analyse the scales used to measure these behaviours. Theoretical insights from the results include: a classification of residents' pro-tourism behaviours; a focus on measuring active, favourable behaviours, with varying emphasis on other specific behaviours; and a merely testimonial presence of quantitative studies measuring anti-tourism behaviours. From a practical standpoint, tourism managers should recognise that residents’ behaviours toward tourism can vary depending on the destination and the degree of resident-tourist interaction. From a social perspective, understanding residents' behaviour is essential for achieving balanced and sustainable tourism development.