Knowledge, Trust and Perceived Benefits

Tourism has become a cornerstone of the United Arab Emirates’ national strategy for economic diversification, particularly in emerging destinations such as Al Ain, which is increasingly positioned as a cultural eco-tourism hub. Despite substantial government investments, the long-term success of tourism initiatives relies heavily on the support of residents. Drawing on Social Exchange Theory (SET), this study investigates how residents’ knowledge of tourism development (KT) and trust in governmental decisions (TGD) shape their perceived benefits of tourism (PB) and support for tourism development (STD). A structured online survey yielded 378 valid responses from residents of Al Ain. Constructs were measured using validated Likert-scale instrument, and partial Least Squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to test proposed relationships. The findings reveal that KT and TGD significantly and positively influence PB and STD, with PB playing a critical mediating role in transforming knowledge and trust into behavioral support. Notably, the direct path from KT to STD was insignificant, underscoring the importance of perceived advantages as a psychological mechanism linking awareness to support. The model explained 58.3% of the variance in PB and 69.2% in STD, indicating substantial explanatory power. Additionally, mediation analysis revealed that both TGD and PB act as significant mediators, illuminating the pathways through which knowledge and trust shape community backing for tourism advancement. Theoretical contributions of the study lie in extending SET to incorporate cognitive (Knowledge) and institutional (trust) antecedents, offering a more nuanced understanding of resident response to tourism development. Particularly, the findings underline the need for policymakers to prioritize transparent communication, resident education, and participatory decision making to enhance community endorsement of tourism initiatives. Tailored awareness campaigns that emphasize both economic and noneconomic benefits can foster stronger alignment between residents and tourism growth objectives

Destinations · Mediation · Social exchange theory · Structural equation modeling · Tourism · Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research · Hospitality and Tourism Education · Religious Tourism and Spaces