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Evaluating Residents’ Perceptions of Nature-Based Tourism with a Factor-Cluster Approach

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  • Xiaoping Gu

    (College of Economics and Management, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110161, China)

  • Carter A. Hunt

    (Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, PA 16802, USA)

  • Michael L. Lengieza

    (Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, State College, PA 16802, USA)

  • Lijun Niu

    (Changbai Mountain Academy of Sciences, Changbai Mountain Protection and Development Zone, Erdaobaihe 133613, China)

  • Huiwen Wu

    (College of Economics and Management, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110161, China)

  • Yue Wang

    (College of Management, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang 110168, China)

  • Xiang Jia

    (Changbai Mountain Academy of Sciences, Changbai Mountain Protection and Development Zone, Erdaobaihe 133613, China)

Abstract

The purpose of the research presented here was to empirically assess resident perceptions of tourism development around the Changbai Mountain Biosphere Reserve (CMBR), a protected area straddling the China and North Korea border. Several theoretical approaches to the assessment of local resident attitudes towards tourism were reviewed and integrated into a novel factor-cluster assessment of residents in Erdaobaihe, the community most adjacent to CMBR. This analysis quantitatively grouped residents based on their perceptions of tourism’s economic, social, cultural, and environmental consequences for the town. An exploratory factor analysis of resident perceptual items first revealed six perception domains, and a subsequent cluster analysis then identified four distinct groups of residents based on these perceptions. A descriptive profile of each cluster and the significant differences among clusters are provided. Advancing our theoretical understanding of resident perspectives of tourism development, this cluster-based segmentation approach, demonstrated here, holds much promise for elaborating on the many ways that residents respond to new and long-standing forms of tourism in their communities. These theoretical and methodological contributions will be applicable to scholars as well as tourism practitioners and policy makers.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiaoping Gu & Carter A. Hunt & Michael L. Lengieza & Lijun Niu & Huiwen Wu & Yue Wang & Xiang Jia, 2020. "Evaluating Residents’ Perceptions of Nature-Based Tourism with a Factor-Cluster Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-19, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2020:i:1:p:199-:d:469498
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Katie K. Arkema & David M. Fisher & Katherine Wyatt & Spencer A. Wood & Hanna J. Payne, 2021. "Advancing Sustainable Development and Protected Area Management with Social Media-Based Tourism Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-18, February.
    2. Yanlong Guo & Jiaying Yu & Han Zhang & Zuoqing Jiang, 2022. "A Study on Cultural Context Perception in Huizhou Cultural and Ecological Reserve Based on Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-20, December.
    3. Abdul Hafaz Ngah & Abdul Halim Mohd Rahimi & Serge Gabarre & Luis Araya-Castillo & Antonio Ariza-Montes & Heesup Han, 2021. "Fostering Voluntourism Satisfaction and Future Behaviour in Island Destinations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-17, March.
    4. Ke Wu & Peixue Liu & Zhenghu Nie, 2021. "Estimating the Economic Value of Soundscapes in Nature-Based Tourism Destinations: A Separation Attempt of a Pairwise Comparison Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-23, February.
    5. Mengyuan Qiu & Ji Sha & Noel Scott, 2021. "Restoration of Visitors through Nature-Based Tourism: A Systematic Review, Conceptual Framework, and Future Research Directions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-18, February.

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