Understanding the host heterogeneity in religious destination: a multigroup analysis of distance perceptions and emotional solidarity

Abstract

While host-tourist relationships are critical for tourism sustainability, inadequate studies were conducted in sacred places by considering the heterogeneity of the religious community. Taking Sertar, a Tibetan Buddhist destination in China, as a case study, this work aims to examine how the hosts perceived the local tourism development through host-tourist relationships, and whether the perception vary in different resident subgroups. The intertwining of Buddhist cultural heritage and tourism development in Sertar allowed the local population dividing into three groups: monks, residents and migrants. By integrating perceived distance theory, emotional solidarity theory, and social exchange theory, this study proposed a conceptual framework to test and compare these three subgroups’ support for tourism development. Multigroup analysis via PLS-SEM indicates that migrant workers exhibit the strongest tourist affinity, while monks most strongly perceive the tourism benefits. The three focal groups’ closeness to visitors has a greater impact on emotional solidarity than cultural distance, thus revealing the host community’s tolerance of cultural diversity. The findings are expected to assist policymakers in understanding multiple voices of community stakeholders for tourism sustainability.

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