Rural residents’ social distance with tourists: an affective interpretation

This study examined the role of basic (i.e. positive and negative) and complex (i.e. emotional solidarity) emotions in explaining residents’ preference for both intimate and casual social encounters (i.e. social distance) with tourists. Considering a burgeoning rural destination in the U.S., known for its natural and cultural amenities, data were collected on-site and online from 511 residents. A two-step sequence of analysis (i.e. confirmatory factor analysis followed by structural equation modelling) was undertaken to test 12 hypotheses within a proposed conceptual model. Eight hypotheses were supported; three of those not supported involved negative emotions as antecedents to emotional solidarity. A high degree of variance was explained in emotional solidarity and social distance. Implications and recommendations are also discussed.