► The study tests a model of public trust in tourism institutions. ► Economic and political performance of institutions are good predictors of trust. ► Public trust is also influenced by level of power and interpersonal trust. ► Trust in tourism institutions is a good determinant of support for tourism. ► Results confirm the superiority of the institutional theory of political trust over the cultural theory. Political trust is important for good governance. However, there is a paucity of research on this topic in the tourism literature. This paper tests a model of public trust in tourism institutions developed on the premise of the institutional and cultural theories of political trust. Results from the structural equation modeling analysis suggest that perceived economic and political performance of institutions, residents’ power in tourism, and interpersonal trust are good determinants of political trust in tourism institutions. A significant relationship is also noted between public trust and political support for tourism. The theoretical and practical implications, of the findings, the study’s limitations, and some directions for future research are discussed.