Influencing factors of residents’ subjective well-being in rural tourism destinations: A case study of Licha village in Guangdong, China
Sustainable rural development is increasingly important in the context of globalization, with rural tourism driving spatial revitalization and enhancing residents’ well-being. This study investigates how rural tourism shapes residents’ subjective well-being (SWB) in Licha village, Guangdong, China. Using semi-structured interviews with 23 residents and grounded theory coding (open, axial, selective), we inductively develop a three-stage mechanism linking tourism development to well-being. Our findings are as follows: (i) tourism improves living conditions and creates new opportunities for participation, strengthening social ties and cultural recognition. (ii) Residents’ well-being is formed through a sequence of “structural support, relational embedding, and emotional transformation,” driven by five factors: spatial adaptation, resident participation, relationship reconstruction, identity generation, and place attachment. (iii) While overall effects are positive, boundary conditions—such as cultural commodification and disruptions to everyday routines—can weaken this pathway unless mitigated through participatory governance and heritage stewardship. The main contribution is a resident-centered, transferable framework that explains how rural tourism converts material improvements into durable place attachment and SWB, offering actionable guidance for planning and community management in traditional village destinations.
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