Sociocultural Sustainability and the Formation of Social Capital from Community-based Tourism

Favorable resident perceptions of the development of social capital resulting from hosting community-based tourism is an important issue for the Chinese authorities. This study aimed to develop and test a multidimensional scale to evaluate the perceived social impacts from tourism on social capital from sustainable community-based tourism in China. A questionnaire was distributed to host community residents (430) in Fanhe village, Guangdong Province. Analysis from this survey resulted in the development of a six-factor model incorporating 20 items in the six groups. This allowed the researchers to assess perceived social impacts on social capital: covering collective efficacy, community belonging, traditional social regulations, community cohesion, social networking, and community competence. The study reveals the multidimensional nature of perceived tourism social impacts on social capital in the Chinese tourism community and contributes to a better understanding of how residents view the social capital associated with community-based tourism as part of sustainable development.