My heart belongs here: an investigation into the predictive role of destination psychological ownership on tourism ethnocentrism

Tourism destinations worldwide are endeavoring to enhance local residents’ support for the domestic tourism economy by fostering a positive bias. Extensive literature highlights the prevalent concern of local resident support for domestic tourism, particularly in developing countries. Although empir...

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Main Authors: David Amani, Betty Begashe, Esther Ernest Mfumbilwa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Cogent Social Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311886.2025.2454350
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author David Amani
Betty Begashe
Esther Ernest Mfumbilwa
author_facet David Amani
Betty Begashe
Esther Ernest Mfumbilwa
author_sort David Amani
collection DOAJ
description Tourism destinations worldwide are endeavoring to enhance local residents’ support for the domestic tourism economy by fostering a positive bias. Extensive literature highlights the prevalent concern of local resident support for domestic tourism, particularly in developing countries. Although empirical testing in this area is limited, theoretical postulations suggest that despite the side effects of the tourism sector, local residents who experience the social and economic impacts of tourism tend to exhibit a favorable bias towards their own tourism destination. This bias is widely recognized as a significant factor shaping their behavior. This study builds upon previous research in marketing and psychology to investigate the drivers of tourism ethnocentrism in emerging tourism destinations, with Tanzania serving as a case study. The conceptual model of the study explores the role of destination psychological ownership as a driver of tourism ethnocentrism, mediated by destination brand patriotism. Data were collected from 357 local residents in Tanzania and analyzed using structural equation modeling. The findings reveal that destination psychological ownership significantly influences tourism ethnocentrism through destination brand patriotism. These results suggest that tourism ethnocentrism emerges when individuals develop a sense of ownership, which fosters patriotism and, consequently, an intention to support the domestic tourism economy.
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spelling doaj-art-358d12417e134d4c9304b5524cf511d52025-01-24T07:22:26ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Social Sciences2331-18862025-12-0111110.1080/23311886.2025.2454350My heart belongs here: an investigation into the predictive role of destination psychological ownership on tourism ethnocentrismDavid Amani0Betty Begashe1Esther Ernest Mfumbilwa2Department of Business Administration and Management, The University of Dodoma, Dodoma City, United Republic of TanzaniaDepartment of Business Administration and Management, The University of Dodoma, Dodoma City, United Republic of TanzaniaDepartment of Business Administration and Management, The University of Dodoma, Dodoma City, United Republic of TanzaniaTourism destinations worldwide are endeavoring to enhance local residents’ support for the domestic tourism economy by fostering a positive bias. Extensive literature highlights the prevalent concern of local resident support for domestic tourism, particularly in developing countries. Although empirical testing in this area is limited, theoretical postulations suggest that despite the side effects of the tourism sector, local residents who experience the social and economic impacts of tourism tend to exhibit a favorable bias towards their own tourism destination. This bias is widely recognized as a significant factor shaping their behavior. This study builds upon previous research in marketing and psychology to investigate the drivers of tourism ethnocentrism in emerging tourism destinations, with Tanzania serving as a case study. The conceptual model of the study explores the role of destination psychological ownership as a driver of tourism ethnocentrism, mediated by destination brand patriotism. Data were collected from 357 local residents in Tanzania and analyzed using structural equation modeling. The findings reveal that destination psychological ownership significantly influences tourism ethnocentrism through destination brand patriotism. These results suggest that tourism ethnocentrism emerges when individuals develop a sense of ownership, which fosters patriotism and, consequently, an intention to support the domestic tourism economy.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311886.2025.2454350Destination psychological ownershipdestination brand patriotismtourism ethnocentrismTourismHospitalityBusiness, Management and Accounting
spellingShingle David Amani
Betty Begashe
Esther Ernest Mfumbilwa
My heart belongs here: an investigation into the predictive role of destination psychological ownership on tourism ethnocentrism
Cogent Social Sciences
Destination psychological ownership
destination brand patriotism
tourism ethnocentrism
Tourism
Hospitality
Business, Management and Accounting
title My heart belongs here: an investigation into the predictive role of destination psychological ownership on tourism ethnocentrism
title_full My heart belongs here: an investigation into the predictive role of destination psychological ownership on tourism ethnocentrism
title_fullStr My heart belongs here: an investigation into the predictive role of destination psychological ownership on tourism ethnocentrism
title_full_unstemmed My heart belongs here: an investigation into the predictive role of destination psychological ownership on tourism ethnocentrism
title_short My heart belongs here: an investigation into the predictive role of destination psychological ownership on tourism ethnocentrism
title_sort my heart belongs here an investigation into the predictive role of destination psychological ownership on tourism ethnocentrism
topic Destination psychological ownership
destination brand patriotism
tourism ethnocentrism
Tourism
Hospitality
Business, Management and Accounting
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311886.2025.2454350
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AT bettybegashe myheartbelongshereaninvestigationintothepredictiveroleofdestinationpsychologicalownershipontourismethnocentrism
AT estherernestmfumbilwa myheartbelongshereaninvestigationintothepredictiveroleofdestinationpsychologicalownershipontourismethnocentrism