Scientific Quarterly Journal

Modeling the Impacts of Second-Home Tourism Development in Rural Areas on the Dimensions of Place Attachment(A Case Study of Heravi and Beyraq Villages, Tabriz County)

Volume 6, Issue 23
Winter 2026
Pages 6-21

Document Type : Original Research Article

Authors

Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tabriz Islamic Art University, Tabriz, Iran

Abstract
Over recent decades, rural settlements in Iran have experienced profound transformations in lifestyle, leading to substantial changes in the physical form, meanings, and cultural values of traditional rural houses. The emergence of second homes has played a crucial role in reshaping these structural, social, and symbolic dimensions. The main objective is to explore how these transformations affect the dimensions of place attachment to the village and rural houses, as a key cultural and symbolic indicator of dwelling. The research focuses on the perceptions of rural residents in the villages of Heravi and Beyraq, located in the Tabriz region of Iran, and develops a structural model based on the identified dimensions. A sequential mixed-method design was employed, a qualitative exploratory phase to identify and refine the constructs of place attachment through literature review, followed by a quantitative survey using a researcher-designed questionnaire. Field data were collected from 562 respondents on a five-point Likert scale. The conceptual model was tested using variance-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicated that all four dimensions, affective attachment, place dependence, identity, and social bonding, were significantly and positively associated with the overarching construct of place attachment under the influence of second-home development in the studied villages. Overall, in the studied context, the local community, by drawing on its socio-emotional capacities, experiences the impacts of second-home development as a dual phenomenon, one that can generate both challenges and opportunities for the social and cultural sustainability of the villages.

Keywords

Subjects
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  • Receive Date 26 October 2025
  • Revise Date 28 January 2026
  • Accept Date 07 January 2026