Does Xenophobia Among Local Residents Affect Sustainable Tourism Development in China? A Study Based on Attribution Theory and Social Identity Theory

Research on xenophobia in inbound tourism is relatively scarce, and the literature focusing on the support of local residents’ xenophobia for inbound tourism is even more limited. Using attribution theory as the guiding framework and incorporating social identity theory, this study systematically explored Chinese residents’ attitudes towards inbound tourism and focused on three types of social identities––cultural, environmental, and place identities, as well as xenophobia of local residents. Residents in Yangzhou, China were surveyed, yielding 401 valid questionnaires for analysis. The results showed that cultural and place identities significantly negatively affected residents’ xenophobia, while environmental identity had no significant effect on residents’ xenophobia. In addition, residents’ xenophobia significantly negatively affected their community participation as well as their endorsement of inbound tourism. Secondly, residents’ cultural and place identities indirectly influence their endorsement of inbound tourism through xenophobia. Finally, social distance played a significant moderating role in certain pathways, specifically in moderating the relationship between cultural identity and xenophobia, and between xenophobia and endorsement of inbound tourism. This study extends the research on the factors affecting inbound tourism, which is significant for promoting the sustainable development of inbound tourism.