How does building a free trade port shape happiness? A resident-centered analysis of Hainan's high-Quality FTP development

As China steadfastly advances its free trade port (FTP) policies, it becomes crucial to understand how these developments impact tourism destinations and residents' quality of life. This study, based on a bottom-up theoretical approach, constructs a multilevel analytical framework. Using Hainan as a prominent tourism destination undergoing Free Trade Port development as a case study, the research employs a questionnaire survey to delve into the specific impacts of tourism development within the FTP context on residents' life satisfaction. It also analyzes the mediating role of life satisfaction between satisfaction with tourism destination development, sense of place identity, and support for sustainable tourism. The findings reveal that the construction of the FTP has significant positive effects on residents in economic, sociocultural, and ecological environmental aspects, substantially enhancing their life satisfaction. Further analysis indicates that residents' life satisfaction plays a crucial mediating role in the relationship between satisfaction with tourism development, place identity, and support for destination sustainability. The results of this study not only provide empirical evidence and theoretical support for sustainable tourism destination research but also offer valuable management strategies for tourism policymakers and destination managers.