Local Community Participation in Sustainable Ecotourism Development At Bagan Sungai Burung, Perak

Abstract

Abstract: The participation of the local community in ecotourism is an important criterion for successful ecotourism development. In Malaysia, there is still lack of specific research on the Chinese community and their participation in ecotourism. The Nine Islands in Bagan Sungai Burung, Perak is a new ecotourism destination where the local Chinese community there are the main stakeholders under Nine Island Agency. The lack of local people involvement had resulted in the islands to be officially closed on 1st April 2017 by Perak State Government due to excessive tourism. Therefore, this study is to determine the factors that influence the participation level of the local community in Bagan Sungai Burung.A quantitative approach was used with a sample size of 200 respondents. Descriptive analysis and multiple regression analysis were carried out to measure the participation level of local community in sustainable ecotourism development. Overall, the four dimensions of ecotourism impact had an average and strong relationship with each level of ladder of participation. The community believed that perceived ecotourism impacts influenced their willingness to participate in the ecotourism industry. Hence, local government should include more community participation in planning, management, and decision-making process in order to ensure the well-being of the local community..