Perceptions of Local Communities on the Economic Impacts of Tourism Development in Langkawi, Malaysia

¹ Sustainable Tourism Research Cluster (STRC), Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia
² School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Penang, Malaysia

Abstract

The Langkawi Island is a popular tourist destination in Malaysia, which development started in the 1990s. To date, it is among the ten islands most visited by local and foreign tourists. The development of Langkawi Island has influenced the economic structure of local community, of which, envisaged as a symbol to help the community especially in the changing economic environment due to its ability to generate income, employment and raise living standards. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the local community’s involvement and perceptions on changes in employment pattern and incomes stimulated by the tourism development in Langkawi. This study conducted a self-administered household survey and had successfully retrieved 398 respondents. From the findings, results showed that local community experienced employment opportunities which in return contributed to an increase in household income. It is therefore, notable investment on tourism development should be of interests to the government as this helps in ensuring the local community’s economic benefits.