Place-attachment, destination image and impacts of tourism in mountain destinations

Tourism mountain destinations are places with powerful symbolic features that exert strong influence on destination image formation. They are, particularly, apt to create strong links with the people who visit them. In addition, mountains are nature spaces that are particularly vulnerable to the effects of tourism development, more or less visible to visitors. The present study analyses, in a holistic and multidisciplinary approach, the relation between perceptions of tourism impacts, tourists' destination image, and their place-attachment regarding mountain destinations. Based on data collected in a survey of 315 tourists visiting three European mountain areas – Peaks of Europe (Spain), the Alps (France, Austria, and Switzerland), and Serra da Estrela (Portugal), the relationship between these variables was analysed, using structural equation modelling. The structural model reveals that tourists' perceptions towards tourism development in mountain destinations affect their cognitive and affective destination images as well as tourists' place-attachment. Discussion centres on the implications of this model on both theory and mountain destination management. In addition, limitations of the study are presented and guidelines for future research proposed.