The Impact of Motivation, Opportunity, Financial Ability, and Willingness on Resident Support for Tourism Development

ABSTRACT

Prior studies in the field of tourism have predominantly concentrated on assessing awareness and knowledge as indicators of ability, often overlooking the significance of financial ability. However, financial ability stands as a pivotal determinant of behavioral intention to support and derive benefits from tourism. This study extends the Motivation-Opportunity-Ability model and measures the effect of residents’ willingness to participate, ability, motivation, and opportunity on their attitude vis-à-vis tourism development and support via a framework developed based on the MOA. We surveyed 333 residents in Pahang and Sabah, Malaysia, using PLS-SEM to analyze our model. The findings indicated that financial ability is a strong predictor of willingness to engage in tourism development. Results show that residents' willingness was a highly significant variable in determining their attitudes towards supporting the development of tourism. Providing financial assistance both prior to and during the development of tourism can enhance community engagement.

KEYWORDS:

• Knowledge
• financial ability
• awareness
• perceived benefits
• motivation
• willingness

Introduction

Tourism, as a powerful economic driver and cultural exchange vehicle, has been a focal point of research, policy-making, and societal discussions in recent decades. Prior research has leaned on various theoretical frameworks to unravel the complex interplay between residents and tourism. Social Exchange Theory (Hassan et al., 2022; Hateftabar & Chapuis, 2020; Moghavvemi et al., 2017, 2021; Nunkoo et al., 2023; Nunkoo & Ramkissoon, 2010; Tse & Tung, 2022); the Integrative Theory of Cross-cultural Adaptation (Peng & Wu, 2019; Wong & Kuo, 2021); and Social Representations Theory (Chang et al., 2020; Moscardo, 2013; Williams et al., 2023) have provided insightful lenses through which to analyze resident behavior in tourism contexts. Researchers applied the MOA framework in the field of tourism marketing to explore various aspects such as travel intentions in cruise tourism (Hung & Petrick, 2016), Gay tourism (Liu et al., 2023), value-based selling (Guenzi & Nijssen, 2023), sustainable tourism business (Ivasciuc & Ispas, 2023), online airline ticket purchases (Bigne et al., 2010), and the relationship between social media involvement and revisit intentions (Leung & Bai, 2013; Happ et al., 2023). The majority of the study conducted centered on certain well-established and widely recognized aspects of the development of tourism (Saparnienė et al., 2022) while neglecting other aspects. For example, the residents’ financial ability to take part in tourism development is a factor that is often overlooked when studying their willingness to do so at the cost of more in-depth analyses of the monetary rewards and expenses of the advancement of tourism.

Hung et al. (2011) utilized MOA model for tourism to measure residents’ enthusiasm and contribution to the advancement of tourism and argued that motivation, opportunity, and the ability to become involved are strong antecedents that influence the residents’ participation. According to Hung et al. (2017), ability in the context of tourism development encompasses a multifaceted capacity that includes skills, awareness, receptivity to information, and financial support. It has been observed that this model lacks empirical evidence and overlooks the role of financial ability in decision-making. This is specifically regarding residents’ engagement in tourism development and financial ability.

Hasbullah et al. (2022) described ability as an individual's ability to take action, which is often interchangeably used with skills and competences, as noted by Bigné et al. (2010). Other researchers, such as Rasoolimanesh et al. (2017), emphasized that two crucial factors—awareness and knowledge—can capture residents’ ability to participate in tourism development. These researchers neglected to consider the financial abilities of residents in supporting tourism development. In addition, Hung et al. (2011) and other researchers did not consolidate the MOA model with other important concepts such as willingness to participate, attitude, and assistance for the expansion and advancement of tourism, all of which could be better used to precisely measure the residents’ attitudes and level of supportiveness for the growth and advancement of tourism. Therefore, further experimental work is necessary to explore the forecasting potential of the MOA model and the role of financial ability, willingness, and attitude in supporting tourism development.

On the other hand, researchers often overlook the residents’ abilities, including awareness, knowledge, and financial resources, which play a significant role in determining their willingness to support tourism development. This aspect of resident behavior is crucial, as it sheds light on why some residents may oppose tourism development and requires further exploration through research.

In accordance with the information presented above, the foremost target of the current study is to expand and conceptualize the MOA model within the setting of the advancement of tourism to measure the residents’ motivation, opportunity, financial ability, awareness, knowledge, willingness to participate, and attitude to support the development of tourism. The new model (Motivation, Opportunity, Ability, and Willingness to Support Tourism Development) can measure the effect of financial ability, resident awareness, knowledge, and willingness to take part in tourism-related businesses and activities, which will help us predict the attitude toward tourism development and support.

From a theoretical perspective, this work contributes to the literature by offering the first model that incorporates financial ability, opportunity, awareness, knowledge, willingness, and attitude to explain residents’ behavioral support for tourism. Our aim is to enhance industry and policymaker insights by offering a more comprehensive understanding of residents’ ability and willingness to support tourism development, especially in the aftermath of recent pandemics and economic challenges. This perspective becomes crucial for strategic planning and forecasting during the crisis recovery phase, particularly with regard to residents’ engagement, contributions, and support for tourism development.

Literature review and formulation of hypotheses

The foundation of the MOA framework can be traced back to information processing theory. Maclnnis and Jaworski (1989) created the Motivation-Opportunity-Ability (MOA) model to characterize consumer behavior, suggesting motivation, opportunity, and ability as the antecedents of information processing. This model measures the indirect impact of motivation, opportunity, and ability on brand attitude and brand learning and memory. It means that individual behavior is predominantly influenced by three factors: individual motivation (i.e. one's desire to engage in the behavior), opportunity (i.e. the presence of supportive circumstances), and individual ability (i.e. the readiness to perform the behavior). Other researchers have attempted to study the elements impacting residents’ engagement in the administration of cultural resources, preservation of cultural assets, and tourism development through the application of the Motivation-Opportunity-Ability (MOA) model (Hung et al., 2011; Ivasciuc & Ispas, 2023; Kunasekaran et al., 2022; Liu et al., 2023). Most of this research considered motivation, opportunity, and ability as antecedents of community participation in tourism development. Hung et al. (2011) utilized the MOA model to elucidate the elements that impact residents’ engagement in the growth of tourist attractions. However, they only measured two aspects of ability—awareness and knowledge—and not financial ability. In other similar research, the focus is often on residents’ motivation to participate, with less emphasis on their financial capacity to engage in tourism development activities. Conversely, the majority of these investigations primarily center on the effects of these three factors on resident participation, with limited exploration into their influence on residents’ attitudes and support of tourism development. Consequently, there is a need for additional research to gauge the effects of ability, motivation, and opportunity on residents’ attitudes to participate and their stance toward promoting tourism development. In addition, the literature review revealed that the MOA model does not have adequate empirical backing, and there is a dearth of research to testify to the predictive power of the model when it comes to investigating residents’ involvement in tourism development in a variety of settings.

Since there is a gap in the existing literature, this research extended the “Motivation-Opportunity-Ability (MOA) model” in the boundaries of tourism and measured three determinants of residents’ willingness to engage in tourism activities and related businesses, such as financial ability, awareness, and knowledge. Willingness to participate and motivation influence residents’ attitudes, while opportunity determines residents’ support toward the advancement of the tourism industry (See Figure 1).

Figure 1. Motivation, Opportunity, Ability, and Willingness to Support Tourism Development (MOAWST).

The research framework shows the impact of residents’ financial ability, knowledge and awareness on their willingness in and participate and support tourism development.

Awareness and knowledge

In accordance with the conclusions of a number of studies, one of the primary barriers to community engagement for willingness to support tourism development is people's inadequate levels of awareness and knowledge (Marzuki et al., 2012; Pramanik & Rahman, 2023). When people in a community have access to enabling elements like education, employment opportunities, financial stability, and awareness, they are more likely to become involved in conservation efforts and tourist projects (Hung et al., 2011; Kharel et al., 2022). According to the argument put up by Andereck et al. (2005) inhabitants who have a greater understanding and deeper knowledge of tourism would be better equipped to profit from it. Besides being more aware of the growth of tourism, residents would also be able to benefit from the potential for revenue from tourism development when they are more involved in this industry (Hung et al., 2011). Residents are better inclined to feel the urge to engage in the expansion of the tourism sector when they have knowledge of the favorable consequences it bestows upon the indigenous populace (Scott & Gössling, 2022). As a result, the following hypotheses may be drawn:

H1: “Residents’ awareness” influences “willingness to participate in tourism development” positively.

H2: “Residents’ knowledge” about tourism influences the “willingness to participate in tourism development” positively.

Financial ability

In addition to motivation and opportunity, financial ability is another element that is crucial for the desire to promote the growth of tourism (Pata & Tanriover, 2023). The concept of ability was integrated with two essential factors to form the MOA model framework. Cavus and Tanrisevdi (2003) examined the attitudes of inhabitants of Kusadasi, Turkey, towards the growth of tourism and found that residents typically had a pessimistic perspective and a negative approach concerning the growth of tourism due to a lack of financial ability.

The literature has works that measure the economic benefit of expanding tourist attractions and the opportunity provided for community members to earn money from tourism. For example, some rural areas in China allow their residents to establish their own enterprises, such as “bed and breakfast” accommodations, souvenir retail outlets, and dining establishments catering to tourists (Zeng & Ryan, 2012), which allows them to earn an income and improve their standard of living (Xue et al., 2015). Evidence shows that tourism development creates opportunities for residents to be involved if they have the capital to do so. However, some community members are motivated to participate in the expansion of the tourist industry despite not having the capital to do so. Ma et al. (2013) argued that host residents who have the capital to get involved in the tourism sector would welcome the initiatives of tourism development due to the opportunities afforded to them.

Liu et al. (2012) identified family livelihood assets as a key factor in residents’ tourism involvement. These assets consist of monetary, universal, individual, tangible, and social capital. Financial capital, such as money earned, savings, and credit, is crucial for participation in the tourism industry. Lack of start-up capital is considered a barrier to entry into the industry. Residents with more financial resources have a greater influence on the planning process and are more inclined to take part in tourism-related operations (Hung et al., 2011). This study focuses on financial capital as a crucial factor affecting local residents’ willingness to engage in tourism-related operations (see Figure 1). Consequently, we will pose the following hypothesis:

H3: “Residents’ financial ability” influence the “willingness to participate in tourism development” positively.

Willingness to participate in tourism development

Willingness is a driving force that creates an urge propensity and encourages people to take action to realize their aspirations, which in turn directs people's behaviors to accomplish their aims (Tsai, 2000). In scholarly contexts, the ancient Chinese word for “participation” refers to involvement, which is a step above simple participation in an activity (Wang, 2003). Consequently, “willingness” may be defined as “the voluntary nature of inner intention that causes individuals’ eager attitude to participate in the activities in order to achieve the desired goals” (Chen et al., 2012).

Over the course of the previous three decades, an extensive study was conducted on the topic of locals’ readiness to take part in the expansion of the tourism sector (Almeida-García et al., 2016; Rivera et al., 2016; Stylidis, 2016; Zhang & Zhao, 2019). Residents’ knowledge, abilities, and motivation affect how willing they are to change their attitudes to help tourism development (Birenboim et al., 2022; Mach & Ponting, 2021). Concerning the advancement of the tourist sector, the most important factor is the attitude of residents, which directly and indirectly affects the growth of the industry (Algassim et al., 2022), and eagerness to take part in the expansion and development of tourism is the driving force to shape the attitude of residents to support tourism (de Araujo et al., 2022; Stocker et al., 2023). While these research efforts have offered useful insights into the involvement of residents, the topic of study has not yet been expanded to include the readiness of residents to become involved and their attitude toward tourism development. The framework of this study gives us the appropriate vantage point from which to investigate the residents’ willingness to participate and their attitude toward tourism development. Drawing upon the literature, we hypothesize the following:

H4: “Residents’ willingness to participate” influence the “attitude towards tourism development” positively.

Motivation (perceived tourism benefits)

Motivation is a vital force that impacts behavior and decision-making in tourism development (Bettman, 1979 ; Hung & Petrick, 2012). The “Motivation-Opportunity-Ability (MOA) model” highlights the importance of motivation, method, opportunity, and capacity in residents’ support of tourism growth (Hung et al., 2011). In community tourism, motivation is a critical factor affecting residents’ participation and effort (Hung et al., 2011). As proposed by the MOA model, if residents see advantages, they are prone to encourage the growth of tourism, which will indirectly influence their attitude toward it. While social benefits and intrinsic motivation are significant for tourists, research on these aspects is scarce from a resident’s perspective (Hashemi et al., 2022; Luo & Ren, 2020; Su et al., 2022).

According to the “Motivation-Opportunity-Ability (MOA) model”, motivation pushes individuals in the direction of objectives and desired circumstances, which in turn stimulates them to participate in and encourage the process of making decisions (Lu & Shi, 2022; Xu et al., 2022) regarding tourism development. In the framework of this research, the motivation involves the perspectives of residents towards the attitude that supports the development of tourism. The spectrum of locals’ engagement in tourism initiative programs and their endorsement of the expansion of tourism is enhanced when the emphasis is placed on the motive behind the beneficial consequences of the development of tourism (Antwi et al., 2022). While the adverse impacts of the development of tourism are brought to light, the intensity of enthusiasm for this kind of development among locals decreases (Jaafar et al., 2015; Nicholas et al., 2009). Considering the research presented above, we propose the subsequent hypothesis:

H5: “Residents’ motivation (perceived tourism benefit)” has a positive relationship with their “attitude towards tourism development”.

Residents’ attitude towards tourism development

Some recent research has been undertaken to investigate locals’ thoughts, feelings, and attitudes toward the expansion of tourism (Çelik & Rasoolimanesh, 2021; Obradović & Stojanović, 2022; Pramanik & Rahman, 2023; Schönherr et al., 2023). Attitudes are generally constant assessments, sentiments, and inclinations about an object or concept. In tourism, they are influenced by the perceived advantages and costs experienced by residents. Studies have found that residents’ views impact visitors’ satisfaction levels and the likelihood of returning to the host town.

In the work of Sirakaya et al. (2002), the perspectives and attitudes of residents about the expansion of tourism are contingent upon their perception of the associated benefits and costs. Residents tend to support tourism growth when they are financially reliant on the industry and enjoy its advantages and earnings. Studies conducted by Látková and Vogt (2012) and Perdue et al. (1990) show that local residents’ attitudes contribute to additional tourism development. Therefore, the current study seeks to investigate the subsequent hypothesis:

H6: “Residents’ attitudes” influence the “support towards tourism development” positively.

Opportunity

According to Parra-Lopez et al. (2012), opportunity resembles the possibility of obtaining time and the existence of supportive circumstances that would encourage a certain action to occur. Participation is defined as the “creation of opportunities to enable all members of a community and the larger society to contribute to and influence the development process actively and to share equitably in the fruits of development” (Midgley, 1986, p. 24). When it comes to tourism planning, opportunity refers to the specific conditions that enable or encourage the involvement of spectators in the course of the engagement (Hung et al., 2011). It is characterized as “conditions, such as political will, rules, and the existence of suitable channels that make possible and facilitate the participation of local residents in tourism activities and conservation programs” (Hung et al., 2011). Opportunity measures how favorable the environment is to society’s involvement at the moment (Gruen et al., 2005, 2007). Contribution from the community is difficult unless there are clear lines of communication established between its members and the agencies responsible for tourism development and environmental preservation (Zhang & Zhao, 2019).

According to the “Motivation-Opportunity-Ability (MOA) model”, opportunity is one of the essential components of cultivating a mindset that supports tourist growth (Kunasekaran et al., 2022). Residents need to have adequate motivation, access to the appropriate tools and opportunities, and the endurance to carry out the tourist development support process (González-García et al., 2022; Yayla et al., 2023). The MOA model, therefore, explains the causes and indicators of decisions. Jepson et al. use the MOA model to anticipate locals’ engagement as a source of opportunity in tourist development. According to the concept of the MOA model, residents need the opportunity, in addition to motivation and ability, to be part of the support towards the growth and expansion of tourism. According to Boley et al. (2014), when there are increased social empowerment opportunities for residents, there is a greater likelihood of fostering favorable attitudes and showing enthusiasm for the growth of tourism. Tourism in Malaysia has the potential to increase economic benefits for residents (Kumar & Hussain, 2022) and to provide fresh opportunities for those residents that do not have adequate knowledge and finances to take part in tourism development (Stumpf et al., 2023). Drawing upon the literature, we develop a hypothesis:

H7: “Opportunities” have a positive relationship with “residents’ support towards tourism development”.

Mediation of willingness and attitude between three abilities and residents’ support for tourism development

Research investigations on tourism are increasingly focusing on societal factors that are increasingly being studied to shed light on “residents’ attitudes” and “willingness to support the development of tourism” (Salleh, 2018). Although socioeconomic predictors such as income, ethnicity, and duration of residency have been studied, their role in understanding inhabitants’ attitudes and views about the development and growth of tourism remains minimal and sometimes conflicting (Kanwal et al., 2020). Early studies on these variables used segmentation analysis to identify significant differences in resident attitudes toward tourism development (Brougham & Butler, 1981). Recent studies have emphasized the importance of motivating residents by providing incentives to cultivate a supportive attitude toward tourism (Farmaki, 2023; Kamata, 2022; Shen & Shen, 2021; Wong et al., 2022). Sheldon et al. (1984) found that residents who spoke Welsh were more aware of tourism’s social and cultural impacts than those who did not speak Welsh. However, the literature shows that these variables are often covered in questionnaire surveys (Li et al., 2020). Contemporary research has emphasized the need for motivating residents of the area to cultivate a willingness and attitude that is supportive of tourism by providing incentives (Farmaki, 2023; Kamata, 2022; Shen & Shen, 2021; Wong et al., 2022).

Residents’ attitudes toward tourism development are heavily influenced by their knowledge, ability, and awareness of the perceived advantages and costs of the industry’s expansion (Blešić et al., 2022; Dedeoğlu et al., 2023). Therefore, in most cases, residents will be willing to make an effort to strike up conversations with visitors, establishing an association that will maximize advantages while minimizing expenses (Kamata, 2022). In spite of the significance of analyzing residents’ willingness and attitudes toward tourism development (Wong et al., 2022), very little research has been done to analyze the effect of residents’ knowledge (Xu et al., 2022), financial ability (Ahmad et al., 2021), and awareness (Kharel et al., 2022) on their attitudes and willingness to support the development of tourism (Çelik & Rasoolimanesh, 2021). In line with social exchange theory (SET) (Cropanzano & Mitchell, 2005), social representation theory (Moscovici, 1961), and the framework of this study, the research proposes to establish an analytical framework for the motivation and willingness of residents and their attitude to support the development of tourism. Consequently, the fundamental goal of this research was to examine the effect of residents’ knowledge, financial ability, and awareness on support towards tourism development by means of the mediation of willingness and attitude. In particular, it investigates the direct and indirect impact of knowledge, financial ability, and awareness on residents’ support towards the development of tourism and explores the mediation effect of willingness and attitude. So, the primary intention is to examine the following hypotheses:

H8a: Willingness and attitude mediate the relationship between “knowledge of the residents” and their “support towards tourism development”.

H8b: Willingness and attitude mediate the relationship between the “financial ability of the residents” and their “support towards tourism development”.

H8c: Willingness and attitude mediate the relationship between “awareness of the residents” and their “support towards tourism development”.

Method

Sampling technique and data collection procedure

The participant group employed for the purpose of this study was made up of individuals residing in a rural area within two prominent tourist attractions, namely Pahang and Sabah, located in Malaysia (November 2022—January 2023). Sabah, with a population of 3.5 million, is the third most populous state, while Pahang, with a population of 1.6 million, ranks as the tenth most populated state. The reason to select the residents from Pahang and Sabah was that these states are excellent vacation getaway locations, and we selected the residents who were actively engaged in tourism-related activities. Many previous studies have used the sample from these states of Malaysia (Hasani et al., 2016; Moghavvemi et al., 2021; Salleh, 2018). The study used purposive sampling first to select two popular tourist destinations and then a “convenience sampling technique” to collect the data. The most appropriate approach for this research endeavor was convenience sampling due to its use of readily accessible observational data without the need for additional data collection sources.

Additionally, it is helpful in obtaining the data in a manner that is significantly quicker and less costly, and engagement is available to all individuals. We determined the necessary sample size for this study using various tools, including G* Power, which recommended a minimum sample size of 153, a reliable choice according to Kang (2021). Data were collected from residents on a voluntary basis. The survey was issued to 1,000 residents, and 340 responses were filled out and received back altogether, of which 333 were determined to be appropriate for the study. Considering the number of steps outlined by Dalle et al. (2021), consent from the residents was obtained to make sure that they participated willingly. Due to English’s widespread use and comprehension in various states of Malaysia, the questionnaires were developed in that language. Among the participants, around 45% were identified as male, whereas 55% were identified as female. The average age of the people who took part approached 35 years. The majority of individuals, almost 90%, identified as Muslim and had been in the area for a period ranging from 11 to 30 years. Approximately 68.5% of the participants identified as Malay, while approximately 3.1% identified as Chinese, 0.3% identified as Indian, and the other 28% belonged to other ethnic groups.

Measurement

This study adopted the measurement reported in previous research to test the ability, willingness, motivation, and opportunity provided by tourism officials on residents’ attitudes and support towards tourism development. Some of the items were modified to align more effectively with the present study environment. The measuring items for support were adopted from Nunkoo and Ramkissoon (2011), while attitude was adopted from Ajzen (1991), and motivation, opportunity, awareness, and knowledge were adopted from Hung et al. (2011). Willingness to participate and financial ability were adapted from Liu et al. (2012) and were conceptualized in the context of this study. The residents used a “Likert scale (1–7) ranging from 1 ‘strongly disagree’ to 7 ‘strongly agree’” to assess their view regarding tourism developments in their areas.

Data analysis and results

The exploratory factor analysis was used to investigate the presence of common method variance (CMV). The results from EFA reveal that no single factor explains a substantial portion of the variance, affirming that CMV does not impact the data.

The “structural equation modeling (SEM)” of SmartPLS 3.3.3 was employed to evaluate the theoretical framework of this study. We employed the partial least squares technique to investigate the relationships among variables in the extended MOA model, which had not been examined in previous research (Hair et al., 2011). It was required to make use of the SmartPLS 3.3.3 software to carry out a preliminary evaluation and analyze the measurement properties of the construct.

Measurement model

The assessment of the measurement model was conducted using the PLS —SEM technique using SmartPLS 3.3.3 software. The intent of this research was to elucidate whether or not the measured variables effectively and coherently capture the underlying components within the theoretical model (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Measurement Model Assessment.

Results of the Measurement model show the factor loadings and the items for each variable.

We evaluated the measurement model, focusing on the validity and reliability of the measures. We assessed two types of validity: first, convergent validity, and then discriminant validity. High validity is achieved when a “standardized factor loading (SFL)” of greater than 0.70 is established in an indicator (Hair et al., 2019). The “Cronbach’s Alpha (CA)” and “Composite Reliability (CR)” for all dimensions surpassed 0.7, and the “Average Variance Extracted (AVE)” eclipsed 0.5, representing a sufficient score for construct validity and indicating a high degree of content consistency across the questions pertaining to each construct. Consequently, “convergent validity” has been proven since all the figures in Table 1 fulfill the criterion point (Hair et al., 2017; Hair et al., 2019).

Table 1. Factor Loading, Construct Reliability, and Validity.

	ATD	AWS	FNA	KNL	MVT	OPP	STD	WLG	CA	CR	AVE
Attitude									0.911	0.931	0.694
ATD1	0.861
ATD2	0.816
ATD3	0.831
ATD4	0.747
ATD5	0.856
ATD6	0.880
Awareness									0.880	0.918	0.736
AWS1		0.901
AWS2		0.850
AWS3		0.869
AWS4		0.810
Financial Ability									0.890	0.919	0.696
FNA1			0.850
FNA2			0.921
FNA3			0.796
FNA4			0.827
FNA5			0.770
Knowledge									0.943	0.954	0.747
KNL1				0.898
KNL2				0.868
KNL3				0.960
KNL4				0.808
KNL5				0.893
KNL6				0.852
KNL7				0.759
Motivation									0.919	0.939	0.755
MVT1					0.872
MVT2					0.884
MVT3					0.822
MVT4					0.868
MVT5					0.897
Opportunity									0.885	0.921	0.745
OPP1						0.899
OPP2						0.866
OPP3						0.802
OPP4						0.882
Support Tourism Development									0.942	0.954	0.775
STD1							0.942
STD2							0.883
STD3							0.898
STD4							0.868
STD5							0.843
STD6							0.843
Willingness									0.906	0.930	0.729
WLG1								0.857
WLG2								0.802
WLG3								0.800
WLG4								0.848
WLG5								0.952

“Note: CA, Cronbach's Alpha; CR, composite reliability; AVE, average variance extracted.”

“Discriminant validity” is a component of SEM that assures a measure of the construct is both empirically unique and sufficient to explicate observed occurrences (Hair et al., 2010). “Discriminant validity” requires that “a test does not correlate too highly with measures from which it is supposed to differ” (Campbell & Fiske, 1959). As depicted in Table 2, “the square root of each construct's average variance extracted (diagonal values) is larger than its associated correlation coefficients”, which meets Fornell and Larcker's (1981) criteria for strong discriminant validity.

Table 2. Discriminant Validity and Correlation (Fornell and Larcker).

	ATD	AWS	FNA	KNL	MVT	OPP	STD	WLG
Attitude	0.933
Awareness	0.849	0.958
Financial Ability	0.872	0.845	0.934
Knowledge	0.875	0.862	0.871	0.965
Motivation	0.865	0.836	0.872	0.872	0.969
Opportunity	0.862	0.839	0.880	0.863	0.861	0.963
Support Tourism Development	0.872	0.828	0.879	0.874	0.870	0.844	0.980
Willingness	0.862	0.865	0.865	0.870	0.861	0.847	0.868	0.954

According to Henseler et al. (2015), the “Heterotrait-Monotrait (HTMT) ratio is one of the best measures of discriminate validity while using SmartPLS3” (Masih et al., 2022). They mandated “the range of Heterotrait-Monotrait ratio less than 0.90 to establish that all the study constructs are distinct”. The “discriminant validity of the constructs” is established since all the Heterotrait-Monotrait ratio values in Table 3 are less than 0.9.

Table 3. Heterotrait-Monontrait Ratio.

	ATD	AWS	FNA	KNL	MVT	OPP	STD	WLG
Attitude
Awareness	0.759
Financial Ability	0.625	0.678
Knowledge	0.456	0.596	0.631
Motivation	0.549	0.478	0.573	0.589
Opportunity	0.654	0.639	0.621	0.570	0.409
Support Tourism Development	0.469	0.519	0.347	0.403	0.510	0.580
Willingness	0.357	0.467	0.650	0.644	0.319	0.601	0.453

The multicollinearity method was suggested for determining whether or not there is multicollinearity by Hair et al. (2017). For the assessment of the variance inflation factor, two distinct cutoff thresholds (variance inflation factor less than 3 and 5) are used. In Table 4, the researchers found that there were no instances of multicollinearity issues between the constructs after using a conservative approach (variance inflation factor <3) in this analysis.

Table 4. Variance Inflation Factor (Inner VIF).

	ATD	AWS	FNA	KNL	MVT	OPP	STD	WLG
Attitude							1.579
Awareness								1.787
Financial Ability								1.204
Knowledge								2.457
Motivation	2.212
Opportunity							1.773
Support Tourism Development
Willingness	1.814

Structural model

Testing of both direct and indirect hypotheses is included in the “Structural Model.” The direct and indirect associations are broken down into their components and shown in Figure 3. The results of direct relationships are described in Table 5, which illustrates that “financial ability” (b = 0.695, p = <0.05) significantly influences the “willingness” to participate in tourism development, whereas “knowledge” (b = 0.084, p = <0.05) and “awareness” (b = 0.204, p = <0.05) do not have any significant effect on the “willingness” to participate in tourism development. “Willingness” to participate in tourism development (b = 0.463, p = <0.05) and “motivation” (b = 0.523, p = <0.05) significantly influence the “attitude.” In the last phase, “attitude” (b = 1.243, p = <0.05) and “opportunity” (b = 0.275, p = <0.05) significantly influence support tourism development in Malaysia. According to the results of direct relationships in Table 5, H3, H4, H5, H6, and H7 are accepted, whereas H1 and H2 are not.

Figure 3. Structural Model.

Results of the structural model show the relationship between residents’ financial ability, knowledge, awareness, willingness to participate, attitude and support tourism development.

Table 5. Direct Relationships.

	Original Sample	Sample Mean	STDEV	T Statistics	P Values
Attitude – > Support Tourism Development	1.243	1.261	0.133	9.373	0.000
Awareness – > Willingness	0.204	0.215	0.118	1.732	0.084
Financial Ability – > Willingness	0.695	0.739	0.193	3.604	0.000
Knowledge – > Willingness	0.084	0.030	0.237	0.354	0.724
Motivation – > Attitude	0.523	0.516	0.138	3.791	0.000
Opportunity – > Support Tourism Development	0.275	0.293	0.133	2.064	0.040
Willingness – > Attitude	0.463	0.470	0.136	3.400	0.001

The main finding of this research highlights the significant role of residents’ financial ability in influencing their willingness to participate in tourism-related businesses and support tourism development. This shows that financial capability plays a crucial role in bolstering tourism growth, as it empowers residents to generate income and enhance their quality of life. This is supported by previous research, such as Xue et al. (2015). Although knowledge does influence willingness to participate in tourism development, the impact is not considered statistically significant. The research suggests that residents’ knowledge and awareness play a lesser role in their willingness to participate but can impact their support for tourism development, especially when they understand the potential benefits for local conditions and financial stability. This suggests that merely possessing knowledge about the effects of tourism development is insufficient to motivate residents to support such development. Motivation is a significant factor in garnering support from residents, as it is intricately linked to the advantages stemming from tourism development. The impact of tourism development on factors such as unemployment, job creation, and revenue directly affect residents’ quality of life and social well-being.

Overall, residents’ motivation, attitude, and the opportunities provided by tourism officials also play crucial roles in shaping their support for tourism development.

Phase 2 included testing all the indirect hypotheses, and Figure 3 provides a detailed look at all of the indirect relationships that exist between the variables. Based on the findings, “financial ability” (b = 0.400, p = <0.05) significantly influences “support tourism development” through the serial intervention of “willingness” and “attitude,”, whereas “knowledge” (b = 0.048, p = <0.05) and “awareness” (b = 0.118, p = <0.05) do not have any effect on “support tourism development” through the serial intervention of “willingness” and “attitude.” So based on the findings of indirect relationships mentioned in Table 6, only H8b is accepted, whereas H8a and H8c are not.

Table 6. Indirect Relationships.

	Original Sample	Sample Mean	STDEV	T Statistics	P Values
Motivation – > Attitude – > Support Tourism Development	0.650	0.659	0.209	3.111	0.002
Knowledge – > Willingness – > Attitude – > Support Tourism Development	0.048	0.014	0.140	0.345	0.730
Financial Ability – > Willingness – > Attitude	0.322	0.345	0.127	2.542	0.011
Willingness – > Attitude – > Support Tourism Development	0.575	0.584	0.152	3.789	0.000
Knowledge – > Willingness – > Attitude	0.039	0.015	0.108	0.360	0.719
Awareness – > Willingness – > Attitude – > Support Tourism Development	0.118	0.128	0.079	1.484	0.138
Financial Ability – > Willingness – > Attitude – > Support Tourism Development	0.400	0.434	0.163	2.450	0.015
Awareness – > Willingness – > Attitude	0.095	0.103	0.064	1.476	0.140

Discussion

The key objective of this study is to analyze the effect of residents’ ability (awareness, knowledge, and financial ability) and willingness to take part in tourism-related businesses and their motivation and opportunities for supporting tourism development. According to the findings, residents’ financial ability is a strong indicator of their willingness to participate in tourism-related businesses. This provides evidence for hypothesis 3 (H3), which states that “There is a positive relationship between residents’ financial ability and willingness to participate in tourism development”. The results align with other research (Ahmad et al., 2021; Liu et al., 2023) according to which financial ability is the crucial factor for the willingness of residents to take part in the development of tourism. This finding underscores the significance of residents’ financial capabilities and highlights the need for government authorities to take into account the financial health of the local population when formulating tourism development initiatives. Fostering awareness about the advantages and costs, while also empowering residents, is likely to boost community involvement and garner greater support for tourism development.

Financial ability appears to be linked with residents’ willingness to take part in the development of tourism (Ivasciuc & Ispas, 2023). Consequently, it is plausible that residents are willing to take part in the development of tourism when they have the financial ability. In contrast, this research discovered that residents’ knowledge and awareness do not play a significant role in their willingness to get involved in tourism-related businesses, although it influences their willingness to support. The possible reason for these results lies in the subjectivity of “awareness” and “knowledge” as terms, making it impractical to gauge rural residents’ awareness and understanding of tourism development and its long-term effects on the region. However, when these residents are made aware that tourism development can enhance local conditions and bolster their financial stability, their interest in participating in and backing such initiatives is stimulated. The outcomes contrast with earlier research that placed greater emphasis on awareness and knowledge (Hung et al., 2011; Kharel et al., 2022). Instead, it indicates that if community involvement leads to an enhancement of local financial well-being, residents would be inclined to support tourism development, even in the absence of complete knowledge regarding its long-term effects. This scenario may be particularly relevant following economic crises or pandemics like COVID-19, which have had a substantial impact on the financial stability of individuals, especially in regions heavily reliant on tourism.

The willingness to participate and motivation towards tourism development are positively related to the residents’ attitude towards supporting tourism development, thus supporting H4 and H5. This is in line with findings from other research (Ivasciuc & Ispas, 2023; Li et al., 2020; Rasoolimanesh et al., 2017), and it is justifiable that when residents find enough motivation (perceived benefits) and are willing to take part in tourism-related activities, they will have a supportive attitude towards the development of tourism.

The findings further illustrate that residents’ attitudes and the opportunity provided by tourism officials influenced residents’ support for tourism development, thus supporting H6 and H7 and showing consistency with previous research (Ahmad et al., 2021; Hateftabar & Chapuis, 2020; Obradović & Stojanović, 2022). In addition to that, financial ability strongly supports tourism development through the willingness and attitude of residents, thus supporting H8b. The results align with the conclusions of prior research (Mach & Ponting, 2021; Passafaro, 2020), where the financial ability of residents will create their willingness to support tourism, which develops their attitude to support tourism development.

In summary, the findings emphasize the importance of financial empowerment and targeted awareness efforts in engaging residents in tourism development. By addressing these aspects and involving the local community in a meaningful way, managers and policymakers can foster greater support and participation, ultimately leading to more successful and sustainable tourism development.

Theoretical implication

This study offers a pioneering model, “Motivation, Opportunity, Ability, and Willingness to Support Tourism Development” (MOAWST), which encompasses financial capability, awareness, knowledge, willingness, and attitude to elucidate residents’ support for tourism. MOAWST assesses the impact of financial capacity, resident awareness, knowledge, and willingness to engage in tourism-related activities, enabling the prediction of attitudes toward tourism development. This versatile model can evaluate various facets of residents’ ability to endorse tourism development, making it valuable for future research in diverse contexts.

This study stands as one of the pioneering research endeavors to examine the influence of residents’ financial abilities and willingness, as well as their motivation and opportunities for supporting tourism development. Furthermore, this research extended the MOA model and applied it within the new context and setting. Willingness to participate and motivation are predictors of attitude, while a positive attitude and the opportunity provided by tourism officials may result in support for the development of tourism. In this research model, the residents’ motivation, opportunity, and financial ability were included as predictors of residents’ willingness to participate in the advancement and expansion of the tourism industry, which subsequently influenced their attitudes and support towards the development of tourism. Specifically, the research model added a new aspect, which evaluated residents’ financial ability and a vital factor with the capability to influence their motivation and willingness to help grow tourism. Also, the research model broadened the Motivation Opportunity Ability model so that it can provide deeper insights into essential constituents that influence residents’ willingness to take part in tourism development activities and their attitudes towards supporting tourism development. This study provides a theoretical foundation for future scholars by using a number of different constructs and latent variables. Further, the framework of this study will provide an innovative strategy for future scholars to incorporate and explain the literature in the area of support for the development of tourism.

Managerial implication

Our outcomes have direct ramifications for both practitioners and decision-makers in policymaking. Managers and policymakers involved in tourism development should prioritize initiatives that enhance the financial well-being of local residents. This can include creating opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship, and financial support programs. When residents have the financial ability, they are more likely to actively participate in tourism-related businesses.

Implement targeted awareness campaigns to educate residents about the benefits of tourism development. Highlighting how tourism can improve local conditions and contribute to financial stability can motivate residents to support such initiatives. These campaigns should be designed to clearly communicate the tangible advantages of tourism to the community.

Encourage and facilitate local participation in tourism-related activities. When residents actively engage in these businesses, it not only enhances their financial capability but also fosters a sense of ownership and pride in tourism development. This can be achieved through training, capacity-building programs, and partnerships with local entrepreneurs.

Recognize the subjectivity of awareness and knowledge among residents. Implement customized approaches to gauge and address the specific informational needs and gaps within the local community. Tailoring educational efforts to the unique circumstances of each region can be more effective at garnering support.

Limitations and future research

The research was only conducted in two states (Pahang and Sabah) of Malaysia; given that Malaysia is home to a variety of popular tourist spots, data collection for future studies has to be placed at these many additional sites throughout Malaysia. Future research should include some other predictors in addition to those employed in this study.

Conclusions

This article expanded the “Motivation Opportunity Ability (MOA) model” to include three variables to evaluate better residents’ support towards tourism development, which are residents’ financial ability, willingness to take part in the development of tourism, and attitude. Holistically, this research analyzed how residents’ knowledge, financial ability, and awareness influenced their willingness to be involved in the development of tourism, which later affected their attitude and level of support towards tourism development. This research also examined how residents’ motivation (perceived tourism benefit) impacted their attitude toward tourism development. The results confirmed the model and demonstrated that the single factor with a substantial impact on residents’ willingness to take part in tourism is their financial ability, whereas the attitudes of residents are influenced by their willingness and the motivation they gain.

On the contrary, residents are willing to take part in opportunities that require their involvement. Even though the region (Pahang and Sabah) is renowned for its stunning natural beauty, it will not be able to contribute to the growth of tourism until further promotional efforts are made. Efforts should be concentrated on raising the extent of awareness and knowledge that inhabitants have about protected areas and their social and economic benefits, boosting the perception of the place, and encouraging those who live there to take part more actively in the process of governance. It is possible that the local community may gain economically, socially, and environmentally as a result of such measures. The government can use this research model in rural areas and tourist destinations to revitalize community participation and their overall involvement with the tourism industry.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).