Social Impacts Of Tourism Development On Local Community In Mukim Kedawang, Langkawi Island
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Date
2015-10
Authors
Ismail, Safura
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
Understanding the social impacts of tourism development on local community is important and is crucial as precondition for a sustainable tourism. This understanding is also important for government in tourism planning and decision making. Since 1990s, the impacts of tourism development have grown tremendously especially in the spectra of islands and marine parks tourism. Despite the fact that most of the Malaysian islands are already having their natural attractions, more islands have been progressively developed as tourist attractions spot. However, inappropriate tourism development can lead to adverse social impacts on the islands, including exposing the local community to certain foreign behaviours that may be opposed to the island culture or community values. This research attempts to investigate the social impacts of tourism development on local community in Mukim Kedawang, Langkawi Island. The selection of study area because it is one of the favoured destination of domestic and international tourists namely Pantai Cenang. A self-administrated questionnaire survey was done on 346 local communities using a convenience sampling method in three village located in Mukim Kedawang. The levels of social impacts were measured based on ethical problem, value system and manner, life style, and culture to identify which the positive and negative social impact are most significant toward local community in Mukim Kedawang. The study found that, both positive and negative social factors impacting the local community in Mukim Kedawang, Langkawi Island. Overall, respondents’ perceived the positive social impacts are employment opportunities, increase household income and improvement of infrastructure and public facilities and develop foreign language. In terms of negative impacts respondents’ perceived tourism cause of the liquor, easily available and drinking among teens as a normal scenario, lifestyle of local community changed with the application of negative western culture, dressing changed imitated tourist dress up and influenced the tourist’s behaviour. Based on the findings, researcher concludes that, despite the social and development issues, the positive impact of tourism development be more important than the negative impact accrued to the local community in Mukim Kedawang.
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Keywords
Tourism