Do tour guides leave their jobs because of occupational stigma?

We explored the effect of occupational stigma on tour guides’ turnover intention, basing our research on conservation of resources theory. Our sample comprised 462 tour guides, who completed an online survey assessing their perception of occupational stigma, turnover intention, emotional exhaustion, and job crafting. Results indicated that perceived occupational stigma positively predicted both intention to leave and emotional exhaustion levels; furthermore, emotional exhaustion mediated the relationship between occupational stigma and turnover intention, while job crafting negatively moderated the influence of occupational stigma on emotional exhaustion. Thus, high job crafting can alleviate the emotional exhaustion caused by occupational stigma. These findings expand and enrich the literature related to occupational stigma and provide practical implications for related management practice.