Investigating the effect of local community empowerment on the development of tourism sustainability with the mediating role of social capital (Case study: East Azerbaijan province)

Tourism, as the largest social mobility, has many cultural, economic and spatial consequences. Therefore, to make tourism development more effective and promote its positive consequences, requires special knowledge and attention to empowerment and social capital. The present study investigates the effect of empowering the local community in the development of tourism sustainability with the mediating role of social capital. The research method in this article is descriptive-correlational and applied in terms of purpose. The data collection tool is a questionnaire and the statistical population of the study is urban and regional residents in East Azerbaijan province. The sample size was calculated using Cochran's formula, 384 people and a questionnaire was used to collect data. Structural equation modeling technique and Pls Smart software were used to analyze the data. Findings showed that empowerment of the local community has a positive and significant effect on the development of tourism sustainability and also has an impact on social capital.