Co-creation or co-destruction? Rethinking the relationship between host-tourist interactions and support for tourism
研究中国乡村旅游中居民与游客的两种互动类型（日常必需互动和情感知识互动）如何通过情绪能量和真实幸福感的链式中介影响居民对旅游的支持，为目的地管理提供理论启示。
Host-tourist interactions are a microcosm of socio-cultural exchanges between urban and rural areas and vital elements in promoting local support and sustainable rural tourism development in China. To explore how different interactions affect residents’ perceptions of self and support for tourism, this study adopted a mixed-methods approach. First, a qualitative study was conducted, with data collected by participant observation and in-depth interviews. Inductive thematic analysis indicated two main types of interactions: everyday necessity interaction (ENI) and emotional knowledge interaction (EKI). A conceptual model based on the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) theory was also developed. Second, the model was tested by a questionnaire-based quantitative study. Results showed these two interactions did not have a direct positive impact on residents’ support for tourism, with emotional energy and authentic happiness acting as chain mediators. This work provides theoretical insights and practical inspiration for destination management strategies emphasizing residents’ psychological responses and fostering meaningful and benign interactions.