The role of residents' place attachment in designing touristic experiences in rural areas

Abstract

Residents of tourist destinations develop emotional bonds with the spaces where they live. These connections are known as place attachment, and they can have various positive consequences for both residents and destinations. This article aims to investigate the influence of place attachment on tourism experiences design in rural environments, an understudied research area. Employing an exploratory qualitative methodology, we conducted semi-structured interviews with photo elicitation with 10 family farmers and entrepreneurs across 4 rural tourism routes. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed three themes: 1) The place as an inspiration for tourism experiences; 2) The influence of place attachment in the pursuit of offering authentic experiences; and 3) The interaction between place expectations and spatial and personal transformations. The findings suggest that residents' place attachment significantly contributes to the planning of tourism experiences. These results have theoretical implications for understanding place attachment and the design of tourism experiences. From a practical viewpoint, we argue that residents' place attachment can be an initial substrate for planning memorable experiences. Moreover, developing tourism responsibly can strengthen residents' affective connections with their space, history, and culture.