Rural Tourism in Kiulu, Sabah, Malaysia: A Critical Examination through The Lens of The Host Community: Host Perspectives on Kiulu Tourism

Fiffy Hanisdah SAIKIM; Franey Joseph  CHONG; Norhuda SALLEH; Awangku Hassanal Bahar  PENGIRAN BAGUL; Nordiana MOHD. NORDIN; Nor Akmar ABDUL AZIZ; Jamshed KHALED; Bruce PRIDEAUX; Baizura RICHARD; Angeline  ENGCHUAN; Julinus Jeffrey JIMIT

doi:10.51200/jtbc.v22i.5210

Authors

Fiffy Hanisdah SAIKIM Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Franey Joseph CHONG
Norhuda SALLEH
Awangku Hassanal Bahar PENGIRAN BAGUL
Nordiana MOHD. NORDIN
Nor Akmar ABDUL AZIZ
Jamshed KHALED
Bruce PRIDEAUX
Baizura RICHARD
Angeline ENGCHUAN
Julinus Jeffrey JIMIT

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51200/jtbc.v22i.5210

Keywords:

rural tourism, community involvement, decision-making, empowerment, community knowledge, role of women

Abstract

Local communities often face a number of challenges when seeking to participate in rural tourism including participation in decision making, the level of empowerment the community enjoys and other factors including knowledge of tourists and local culture and the role governments play in supporting rural tourism development. To investigate these issues, a mixed methods approach was used to collect data from 118 residents of Kiulu, a rural destination in Sabah, Malaysia through questionnaires and in-depth interviews. The results show that successful rural tourism in Kiulu is driven by strategies that promote local participation in decision-making, community empowerment and better knowledge of the tourism industry. However, the study also shows that there is a lack of positive correlation between rural tourism growth and knowledge sharing, a challenge that appears to be rooted in strained relationships between tourism stakeholders. Other barriers include financial constraints, inadequate road access and the need for specialised training in tourism services. Addressing these barriers through targeted government interventions such as financial support and capacity building programmes may help distribute the benefits of rural tourism more equitably and ultimately promote sustainable development within the community.

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