“Are you happy here?”: the relationship between quality of life and place attachment

Purpose This study aims to develop a new insight (focused on residents) into the measurement of place attachment, self‐esteem, self‐efficacy and perceived happiness, in order to provide public policy makers with performance indicators for place marketing strategies. Design/methodology/approach A survey applied to 641 residents of Portimão, the second most populated city in Algarve, in the south of Portugal, was conducted to assess the quality of life attributes and place attachment measures. Findings Findings revealed that the city's quality of life attributes (comprising six dimensions) influence place attachment – which is significantly correlated with self‐efficacy, perceived happiness and active citizenship behaviours. Practical implications As an input for the city policy makers, this research can contribute to a better knowledge and management of the factors that influence the residents' well‐being. For residents, it provided an opportunity for participation which may influence the public planning of the city. Originality/value The paper discusses a new framework that is a contribution for policy makers and public decision makers of the relevance of systematic place marketing and monitoring.