Tourism development in historical urban fabrics is a key strategy for urban revitalization, yet its success depends on understanding local residents’ perceptions and experiences. This study aimed to elucidate the conceptual model of residents’ perceptions toward tourism development in the Dabaghan neighborhood of Qazvin and to identify the dimensions shaping these perceptions across physical, economic, and socio-cultural domains. Employing a qualitative approach, data were collected through 32 semi-structured interviews with residents selected via snowball sampling. The analysis, conducted using MAXQDA, followed a three-stage coding process: open coding generated 521 initial codes, which were refined into seven categories through axial coding, and finally synthesized into a core category via selective coding. The seven categories encompassed attitudes toward heritage preservation, satisfaction with urban amenities, neighborhood safety, cultural identity protection, social participation, enhancement of tourism-related economic opportunities, and perspectives on local livelihoods. Findings indicate that the central dimension of residents’ perceptions revolves around “enhancing economic opportunities,” which interacts with heritage conservation, urban service improvement, neighborhood safety, and cultural preservation, forming a coherent conceptual model. This study advances the literature by providing a structured, resident-centered model for interpreting tourism development impacts in historical neighborhoods and offers actionable insights for policy-making in similar contexts.