The impact of residents' knowledge and perception of marine sports tourism destinations on post-COVID-19 tourism attitudes: the mediating effect of tourism acceptance and moderating effect of place identity

This study examines residents' attitudes toward marine sports tourism in the post-COVID-19 era, focusing on the mediating effect of tourism acceptance and the moderating effect of place identity. Data were collected from 231 residents who had lived in marine sports tourism destinations in South Korea for more than 5 years. The results revealed that residents' tourism knowledge and perceptions positively influenced their tourism attitudes. Tourism acceptance demonstrated a significant mediating effect between residents' tourism knowledge, destination perception, and tourism attitudes. Furthermore, place identity exhibited a positive moderating effect on these relationships. The findings suggest that for sustainable development of marine sports tourism destinations, it is essential to establish customized tourism development policies that consider residents' levels of tourism knowledge while emphasizing positive impacts and minimizing negative impacts. Additionally, measures to enhance residents' tourism acceptance and implement policies that consider place identity during the tourism development process are necessary. This study provides valuable insights for marine sports tourism destination managers in promoting sustainable tourism through effective communication with local residents. Future research recommendations include conducting qualitative interviews with residents, implementing pilot studies, and regularly evaluating residents' attitudes as the COVID-19 situation evolves.