Building for whom? Urban tourism infrastructure quality, design image and community well-being in a Silk Road heritage city

Purpose The study investigates how tourism-driven urban transformation impacts residents in the heritage city of Turkistan, Kazakhstan, and identifies the factors influencing their support for sustainable tourism development. Design/methodology/approach The research employs a sequential mixed-methods design, beginning with qualitative storytelling interviews followed by a quantitative survey of 425 residents. Data analysis used explanatory factor analysis to identify key dimensions for examining relationships between constructs. Findings Results reveal a complex picture of residents' experience of tourism-induced urban transformations. Residents positively evaluate macro-level improvements in urban tourism infrastructure and socio-cultural benefits, but these have not translated into improved material well-being. A significant discrepancy between high satisfaction with non-material quality of life (spiritual life and community) and dissatisfaction with material conditions (cost of living and income) creates an uneven development of urban tourism. Still, residents express strong support for the further development of urban tourism. Originality/value The current study provides an in-depth empirical analysis of residents' lived experiences of tourism-led heritage regeneration in a rapidly developing Central Asian city. It contributes a novel analytical framework that identifies and explains the contradiction between non-material satisfaction, material dissatisfaction and continued support for development. The work provides an essential perspective on equitable growth within the New Silk Road initiative and contributes directly to key debates on social sustainability in architecture and tourism planning.