Generation Z members’ intentions to work in tourism in their World Heritage Site hometowns

The tourism industry faces a major challenge in attracting and retaining a qualified, stable workforce, with Generation Z entering as older workers retire. In Spain, the share of under-25 workers in tourism is comparatively low, and many young people—including tourism graduates—seek employment in other sectors. This study asks why Spanish youth show limited intention to work in tourism in their WHS hometowns. Focusing on Antequera (Malaga, Spain) after its 2016 World Heritage inscription, the study examines four dimensions—positive and negative perceptions of tourism development (via WHS recognition), community involvement, and place attachment—grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior. The aim is to assess how these factors shape Gen Z’s intentions to work in tourism in their WHS hometown, a context underexplored in prior research. The survey instrument was validated in January 2020 and fielded in February 2020, before COVID-19 restrictions in Spain.

The study extends the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) to a new behavioral domain: Gen Z residents’ intentions to work in tourism in their WHS hometown. In this framework, attitudinal factors include positive perceptions of tourism development through WHS recognition and place attachment; subjective norms are represented by community involvement; and perceived behavioral control is proxied by negative perceptions of tourism. Prior literature links residents’ positive and negative perceptions of tourism to community involvement and place attachment, but evidence is mixed, especially regarding negative perceptions. Young people often value the social and experiential aspects of tourism work, aligning with service-oriented motivations. WHS designation can enhance community identity, conservation efforts, and economic opportunities, potentially strengthening place attachment. The authors formulate 14 hypotheses: direct effects of positive/negative perceptions on intentions, community involvement, and place attachment; indirect (mediated) effects of perceptions on intentions through community involvement and place attachment; effects of community involvement on intentions and place attachment (and its mediation through place attachment); and a direct effect of place attachment on intentions.

Design: Cross-sectional survey of Gen Z residents (16–26 years) of Antequera, Spain. Pretest involved three professionals (youth employment, tourism recruitment, academic). The questionnaire was translated into Spanish and administered via Google Forms (anonymously, ethics-compliant). Timing: February–May 2020 (pre-COVID restrictions in Spain). Sampling: Convenience sample; 366 responses collected, 315 valid after filtering. Sample size planning: G*Power indicated a required sample of 313 (effect size 0.05, α=0.05, power=0.90, up to 4 predictors). Measures: 25 indicators across five constructs—Positive perceptions of tourism development (POS), Negative perceptions (NEG), Community involvement (COMM), Place attachment (PLACE), and Intentions to work in tourism in the WHS hometown (WORK). Scales adapted from Jaafar et al. (2015) and Goh & Lee (2018). Factor analysis used to validate constructs; two items of NEG were eliminated due to inadequate validation. Analysis: Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS. Consistent PLS was considered; ultimately PLS-SEM was retained as constructs behaved as composites. Measurement model assessment included outer loadings (>0.7), reliability (Cronbach’s alpha, rho_A, CR), convergent validity (AVE), and discriminant validity (Fornell-Larcker, HTMT, cross-loadings). Structural model assessment covered collinearity (VIF<3.3), effect sizes (f²), explanatory power (R²), predictive relevance (Q²), and mediation analysis following Zhao et al. (2010) with bootstrapping (5,000 samples).

- Measurement model met reliability and validity thresholds (outer loadings >0.7; CR and AVE acceptable; discriminant validity confirmed). - Collinearity not severe (VIF values <3.3). Largest f² concerned the effect of community involvement on intentions to work. - Explanatory power: R²=0.196 (COMM, weak), R²=0.293 (PLACE, moderate), R²=0.296 (WORK, moderate). Predictive relevance: Q² values suggested the model was not strongly predictive. - Direct effects on intentions to work (WORK): • Community involvement → WORK: β=0.366, p<0.05 (strongest direct effect). • Positive perceptions → WORK: β=0.135, p<0.05. • Place attachment → WORK: β=0.137, p<0.05. • Negative perceptions → WORK: β=0.056, not significant. - Direct effects on mediators/endogenous constructs: • Positive perceptions → Community involvement: significant positive (supports H3). • Negative perceptions → Community involvement: not significant (H4 not supported). • Positive perceptions → Place attachment: significant positive (supports H5). • Negative perceptions → Place attachment: significant positive (supports H6). - Mediation: • Positive perceptions → WORK mediated by Community involvement (H7): significant partial mediation (collaborative). • Positive perceptions → WORK mediated by Place attachment (H9): significant partial mediation (collaborative). • Community involvement → WORK mediated by Place attachment (H13): significant partial mediation. • Negative perceptions → WORK via Community involvement (H8): not significant. • Negative perceptions → WORK via Place attachment (H10): not significant. Overall, community involvement had the largest total effect on intentions to work, followed by positive perceptions and place attachment; negative perceptions had the smallest total effect.

Findings extend TPB to Gen Z work intentions in a WHS context. Attitudinal factors—positive perceptions of tourism development and place attachment—directly increase intentions to work locally in tourism, and community involvement (a subjective norm proxy) exerts the strongest influence. Negative perceptions did not directly deter intentions to work, suggesting limited perceived barriers or that benefits overshadow costs for this cohort. Positive perceptions bolster both community involvement and place attachment, aligning with prior research on the benefits of tourism and WHS status. Notably, negative perceptions positively relate to place attachment, echoing evidence that critical awareness of impacts can coexist with or even reinforce local attachment. Indirectly, positive perceptions enhance intentions via both community involvement and place attachment; community involvement also increases intentions via place attachment. These results reconcile mixed prior findings by showing that while negative perceptions may not reduce participation or intentions, positive perceptions and community engagement are pivotal levers for cultivating local tourism careers among Gen Z in WHS towns.

This study addresses gaps in tourism workforce research by focusing on Gen Z residents’ intentions to work in tourism within a WHS hometown and by jointly modeling perceptions of tourism development, community involvement, and place attachment under TPB. It demonstrates that community involvement has the strongest effect on intentions to work, and that positive perceptions and place attachment also contribute directly and indirectly. The work broadens TPB’s application by confirming attitudinal (positive perceptions, place attachment) and social (community involvement) influences on behavior in this domain, while negative perceptions do not function as perceived behavioral control for intentions. Practical implications include: fostering positive perceptions through quality-of-life improvements and communication about WHS benefits; engaging Gen Z in WHS promotion and activities to build community involvement and attachment; and employer initiatives emphasizing the sector’s dynamism, experiential rewards, and clear career paths. Future research should replicate the model in other WHS destinations, incorporate post-COVID contexts, and examine additional antecedents (e.g., personality traits, organizational CSR) and longitudinal dynamics.

- Cross-sectional design limits causal inference; longitudinal studies are recommended to track changes over time. - Data collected immediately prior to COVID-19; pandemic effects on perceptions and intentions are not captured. - Convenience sampling of a single WHS destination (Antequera) may limit generalizability; replication in other contexts is warranted.