ECOTOURISM AND COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISM AS PATHWAYS TO SDG 8: EVIDENCE FROM LANGKAWI AND MATANG, MALAYSIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/JTHEM.1145006Keywords:
Community-Based Tourism, Ecotourism, Langkawi, Matang, SDG8Abstract
Although there have been studies on ecotourism, community-based tourism (CBT) and sustainable tourism development in Malaysia, there are few comparative studies on how different tourism governance models contribute to the specific dimension of Sustainable Development Goal 8 (SDG 8), inclusive economic growth and decent work. This study explores the role of CBT in SDG8 in the Malaysian context through two contrasting case studies, one being a government-backed tourism development approach (Langkawi) and the other a community-led conservation approach (Matang). The study uses a desktop review of secondary data from national reports, official statistics and peer-reviewed literature to examine how various development strategies affect employment generation, entrepreneurship, income diversification and local economic resilience. Results show that both models make a significant impact towards SDG 8 outcomes, but in different ways. Although secondary indicators are available, they indicate that Langkawi create more aggregated tourism-related employment and revenues than Matang. Still, due to its reliance on the external market, it is exposed to macroeconomic shocks. Matang, on the other hand, emphasizes the retention of local values, diversified livelihoods, and integration of conservation, with greater livelihood and local economic resilience, albeit at a smaller economic scale. The evidence examined at both locations suggests that it contributed to employment opportunities, skills development and micro-entrepreneurship of local communities. The study finds that the positive impact of ecotourism on SDG 8 is most likely to occur if rooted in true community engagement, sustainable management of the resources, and context-specific policy development. The key recommendations include the need to speed up digital transformation, build support system for small-scale enterprises and create adaptive CBT system that takes into account not only economic competitiveness, but also long-term ecological and social sustainability. The learnings gained from these insights can be used for other ecotourism destinations in Malaysia and the region of Southeast Asia.
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