Determinants of residents’ support for urban tourism in times of uncertainty: Exploring the case of the city of Madrid

Abstract

Residents are key actors in the management of tourist destinations, especially in times of uncertainty such as those that characterize the current context of multidimensional crisis (ecological, political, social or economic). The role of tourism in these crises, its contribution to their acceleration or its work in recovery, makes it necessary to deepen the support of residents for tourism in complex times such as the present. The context generated by the COVID-19 health crisis is a good framework for this reflection, although it has not been sufficiently explored. This article draws on Social Exchange Theory to explain residents' support for tourism in urban destinations during periods of uncertainty such as those generated by the health crisis, focusing on factors that have so far been little explored: risk perception, community involvement and the management of tourism constraints. A structural multiple indicator multiple cause (MIMIC) model is proposed to test the theoretical model. Using data derived from a survey of 342 residents in the city of Madrid (Spain), the results show that, in addition to benefits as a predictor of residents' support for tourism in contexts of uncertainty, risk perception and the management of tourism constraints are also relevant determinants of this support. The findings have important implications for decision-makers and public managers of urban destinations in the current period of multiple crises.