The Impact of Eco-Degradation on Residential Tourism: The Case of the Mar Menor, Spain

Abstract

The relationship between tourism and the environment is often studied through tourism’s impact on destinations, with limited focus on how eco-degradation affects tourism, including residential tourism, which remains the most loyal to specific destinations. This study examines whether a destination’s eco-degradation impacts the residential tourists’ satisfaction and their intention to revisit. Two studies were conducted on the Mar Menor destination (Spain) using two online questionnaires administered through social media. Study 1 (from October 2020 to December 2021, n = 822) explored tourists’ perceptions of the destination’s ecological situation. Study 2 (November 2022 and March 2023, n = 453) examined how the destination’s eco-degradation influences residential tourists’ intention to revisit, considering the mediating role of destination attachment and perceived value. We found that residential tourists’ perceptions and revisit intentions vary with accommodation type. Eco-degradation impacts holiday satisfaction but not revisit intentions. Second-home ownership compels visits despite dissatisfaction or a preference for alternative destinations. This research contributes to the scarce literature on residential tourism by showing that place attachment and the perceived value, satisfaction, and behavioural intentions can explain revisit intention even in contexts of eco-degradation of the destination.