Inter-relações entre fatores que afetam o apoio dos residentes ao desenvolvimento do turismo de base comunitária em comunidades indígenas

Abstract

The development of tourism activities in communities is based on participation and involvement in the decision-making and planning process, a factor that should be observed through residents' attitudes in various situations arising from tourism. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the interrelations among some factors that can affect residents' support for the development of community-based tourism in indigenous communities. To conduct the investigation, it was necessary to seek a theoretical foundation through Social Exchange Theory (SET), which deals with cognitive perspectives related to rationality, as it is associated with a set of exchanges based on perceived rewards and costs in the relationship between residents and support for the activity (Strzelecka et al., 2017). Additionally, a theoretical model capable of measuring resident empowerment through the Tourism Empowerment Scale – RETS by Boley and McGehee (2014) was used as a theoretical basis. To analyze the relationships between dimensions, a theoretical model based on the constructs of Community Involvement, Social Empowerment, Psychological Empowerment, Political Empowerment, Positive Impacts, Negative Impacts, and Residents' Support will be proposed, using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The research was characterized as descriptive and quantitative, of the cross-sectional survey type, through the hypothetical-deductive method. The research sample was probabilistically selected using simple random sampling through the random selection of residences. Data collection was carried out through the application of questionnaires with closed-ended questions, using the Google Forms tool, with questions based on the Likert scale, on an 11-point metric scale, from which 301 responses were collected in-person. Data were collected between September and November 2023. The data were processed using Excel software and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS 26.0) and AMOS 23.0 software. The main results of the research indicate a positive and direct influence between community involvement and political, social, and psychological empowerment, as well as a positive and direct influence between social and psychological empowerment and residents' support. However, there was no significant influence between political empowerment and residents' support. Negative impacts showed a negative and inversely proportional influence on support, while positive impacts had a positive and direct influence on residents' support.