Local Government Trust, Economic Effectiveness and Satisfaction in a Tourism Event Context: The Case of the Limbe Cultural Arts Festival, Cameroon

Abstract

This study evaluates the relationship between community perception of government’s effectiveness and trust in government at the local level. Using the Festival of Arts and Culture hosted in Limbe, Cameroon, the study evaluates how citizens’ experiences of a service delivery influence their trust in the government, and the mediating effect of economic, social, and political factors. Trust is evaluated using three measures: competency, integrity, and responsibility. A framework that distinguishes between broad and narrow measures of economic effectiveness is proposed and tested using an ordered logit model. Findings from data generated from 324 event attendees indicate that citizens’ perceptions of broad measures of economic effectiveness is influenced by the social and political environment, which in turn influences their trust in the local government. They are, however, able to separate the socio-political context from the economic when asked about narrow measures of economic effectiveness. These findings are relevant for political planners, analysts, and policymakers seeking to foster political trust and support.