Behavioral Intention of Residents in Dark Tourism: An Empirical Approach

Abstract

This research aims to determine the behavioral intention of residents to engage in recreational and leisure activities typical of dark tourism, which will enable tourism stakeholders to establish more effective measures and strategies to promote and develop dark tourism worldwide. First, a literature review of the scientific research on dark tourism follows, based on the papers in the Web of Science and Scopus databases. Second, this empirical study uses structural equation models (SEMs) and, more concretely, partial least square (PLS) to validate the proposed model, which evaluates residents’ perceptions and motivations towards performing leisure activities linked to dark tourism. The results show that attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control have a significant relationship with the intention to visit a dark tourism destination, with attitudes explaining 45.66% of residents’ intention towards this type of tourism. In terms of practical implications, the findings of this study highlight that community participation is a critical factor in the relationship between dark tourism and residents. In terms of practical implications, the findings of this study highlight that community participation is a critical factor in the relationship between dark tourism and residents because of its role in shaping the constructs that determine an individual’s behavioral intentions. Finally, it is imperative to involve local communities in tourism planning and the decision-making processes to develop a more sustainable approach to tourism that respects local sentiments and cultural contexts.