Sustainable tourism and well-being: a research on the residents of a tourist destination

The cultural heritage of a community generates tourism and tourism is linked to positive psychological states and feelings of subjective well-being, not only for the traveler but also for the host. However, few researchers have evaluated the impact that tourism has on the host. Sustainable tourism assigns a key role to local communities, as it recognizes that residents of tourist areas are affected by the phenomenon. The aim of this study is to broaden the knowledge on the impact that sustainable tourism can have on well-being of a host community. The study was conducted in a small village belonging to the circuit of the "Most Beautiful Villages in Italy", which has been experiencing a rapid increase in tourism in recent years. Participants are 106 residents with an average age of 47.05 years (SD = 15.31) who have filled in a research protocol that assessed attitudes towards sustainable tourism, some indices of well-being and sustainable behaviors. Results and implications for practice will be discussed.