THE ROLE OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Local communities' participation in decision-making, economic empowerment, and environmental conservation are the primary foci of this study as they pertain to sustainable tourist development. Aligning tourist projects with local needs and beliefs, encouraging ownership, and gaining support requires effective community engagement in decision-making. Economic empowerment through tourism fosters opportunities for local business and revenue production. This, in turn, encourages investment in the protection of cultural and natural resources. Nevertheless, obstacles such as unequal reward distribution, power imbalances, and limited resources frequently impede these endeavors. In order to achieve sustainability, the study stresses the importance of community-based tourism approaches, fair revenue sharing, and enhanced conservation capability in tackling these issues. Empowering and actively involving local communities can enable the tourism sector to achieve long-term success while contributing to environmental stewardship and local development. The research shows that in order to build a tourist business that is more welcoming and environmentally friendly, people need to work together to solve problems.