Investigation of emotional solidarity and behavioral intention in residents' behavioral support for tourism: The case of Bartın

The growth of the tourism industry is crucial to a destination’s economic recovery and the development of the surrounding area. Empowering host communities is essential for fostering favorable attitudes towards tourism and encouraging active involvement in the growth of the tourism industry. When residents support growth and participate in tourism, it is possible to realize this development successfully. This research aims to ascertain residents’ behavioral support for tourism development (BSTD) in an underdeveloped tourism destination by using the factors of emotional solidarity (ES) and behavioral intention for tourism development (BITD). Furthermore, this study aims to ascertain the mediating effect of the residents’ BITD between the dimensions of ES and BSTD. In this context, data were collected from 343 people residing in Bartın through survey techniques. According to the factor analysis conducted in Jamovi 2.3.28 software, the dimensions of emotional solidarity affect the residents’ BITD to support tourism development. Additionally, it was determined that the residents’ BITD partially mediates the relationship between the dimensions of emotional solidarity and BSTD