Residents’ perceptions of tourism impact and their support for tourism development: the case study of Cuc Phuong National Park, Ninh Binh province, Vietnam

Cuc Phuong National Park (CPNP) is Vietnam’s first national park, which has become a model for national parks and protected systems in Vietnam since its establishment in 1962. In spite of its importance to tourism, no systematic analysis has been undertaken thus far to understand the perceptions of its residents toward tourism in their area. Guided by the Social Exchange Theory, this study investigated Cuc Phuong National Park (CPNP) residents’ perceptions of tourism impacts and their support for tourism development in their areas. Additionally, the study also explored how demographic factors (age, gender, ethnicity, place of birth, marital status and level of education, household monthly income, job status and length of residency) explain residents’ perceptions and their support. It was found that residents in general have positive perceptions towards the impacts brought by tourism in CPNP especially with regards to its social-cultural and environmental impacts and they strongly supported tourism development. However, these perceptions differ according to residents’ socio-demographic characteristics. The study also revealed that residents’ age and gender and their perceptions of tourism impacts could be predictors for their support for tourism development in CPNP. Based on these findings, the concluding part discusses the study’s implications and provides suggestions for the future.