Pride in place in culture-led regeneration: An exploratory case study of Limoges, France

Cultural heritage is frequently mobilised in culture-led regeneration strategies, yet little is known about how such heritage contributes to a positive place image, how residents emotionally relate to it, and how these emotions shape pro-place behaviors. In particular, pride in place—often invoked as a desirable outcome of regeneration—remains rarely examined empirically. This exploratory study examines the relationships between residents' place image, pride in place, and willingness to recommend their city as a tourist destination, using survey data from 510 residents of Limoges, a UNESCO Creative City recognised for its porcelain living tradition. Results show that pride significantly strengthens the effect of most place image components on recommendation intentions, but not the distinctive local savoir-faire, likely due to historical associations with industrial decline. This suggests that tourism strategies centred on heritage with which residents feel emotionally disconnected may fail to secure their endorsement. By bridging urban studies, tourism research, and environmental psychology, the study offers empirical insights that may inform policymakers seeking to foster socially sustainable tourism and, more broadly, resident-sensitive approaches to culture-led regeneration.