Approval of Tourism in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico: Analysis of Economic, Cultural, Social, Environmental Impacts, and Residents' Quality of Life

Objective: The purpose of this study is to analyze the extent to which residents' perceptions of the impacts of tourism —economic, cultural, social, political-administrative and environmental— significantly influence their support for tourism development, either directly or mediated by perceived quality of life, taking the case of Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, as a reference. Theoretical framework: The research is based on Social Exchange Theory (SET), Self-Perception Theory (SPT) and the concept of social carrying capacity, which explain how the effects of tourism shape community attitudes towards this activity. Method: A cross-sectional quantitative study was carried out with a sample of 331 residents, applying a structured survey of 35 items on a 5-point Likert scale, adapted by the authors to local circumstances. The data was analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Results and discussion: The findings reveal strong support for tourism development, with a preference for sports and gastronomic tourism. However, only political-administrative impacts significantly predict such support (β = 0.78), while the other dimensions have marginal or no effects. The perceived quality of life did not show a mediating role between impacts and support. Implications of the research: The results emphasize the importance of governance, trust in institutions and participatory planning as key factors in fostering a positive attitude towards tourism. Originality/value: This study contributes to empirical knowledge about little-explored tourist destinations, showing that institutional aspects have a greater weight than perceived well-being in the configuration of citizen support for tourism.