Abstract
 
Introduction: resident’s empowerment in a tourism region is essential to ensure the success and development of sustainable tourism. Empowerment can affect people's attitudes toward the positive and negative impacts of tourism. In addition, studies suggest that residents are more willing to support tourism development if its impacts are perceived to carry greater benefits than costs. Hence, empowerment is expected to be able to support the development of tourism. this study aims to investigate if empowerment could affect their attitudes toward tourism impacts and support of tourism development.
Methodology: This study is an applied research and with the survey method was conducted. The study population consisted of residents of Kamardough tourism region. The sample size was determined using the Morgan table (n=220). Using a random sampling method, 220 students were selected for this study. The face validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by a panel of experts. Cronbach alpha reliability coefficients were calculated for the pilot study and used to refine the questions for the final questionnaire. All scales indicated good-to-excellent reliabilit generally 0.71–0.91.
Results and discussion: Regression showed that Personal economic benefit and three empowerment dimensions (psychological, social and political) had direct and significant relationships with resident perceptions of tourism’s positive impacts. These variables predicted 51% of the variance in attitude toward positive impacts. Personal economic benefit and political empowerment have significant effect on attitude toward negative impacts of tourism. There is a negative relationship between political empowerment and perceived negative impacts from tourism. These variables predicted only 0/28 of the attitudes toward negative impacts. the Regression showed that psychological empowerment, social empowerment and political empowerment and attitudes toward positive impacts of tourism affect residents’ support for tourism. These variables predicted 47% of the variance in support.
Conclusion: These findings also have practical implications for those within the tourism industry looking for strategies to increase their residents’ support for and attitudes toward tourism development.