The Residents’ Place Attachment Impacts Tourism in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case in Hue City, Vietnam

Abstract

Hue city is located in the middle of Vietnam with many tourist attractions such as natural landscapes with Huong River, Ngu Binh Mountain, historical sites with Hue Monument Complex, and beaches. The COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected Hue tourism, which has led to border closures to either domestic or international ones. This study explored whether residents’ place attachment impacts their intention to support Hue tourism during COVID-19. The factors in residents’ place identity and place dependence are used to analyze how they influence place attachment with the changes in Hue tourism during the pandemic. An online survey with 165 residents living in Hue city was used to collect data, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the data. Results showed that the COVID-19 pandemic did not significantly impact residents’ place attachment; however, their place identity and place dependence impacted their place attachment and their support of Hue tourism. The findings highlight the importance of residents’ place identity and place dependence influencing their place attachment in Hue tourism during crises and show the role of residents’ support in Hue tourism.