DEVELOPING LOCAL COMMUNITY TOURISM: DRIVERS AND BARRIERS

Abstract

The way to exploit resources to create tourism products as well as the way for people to participate in tourism activities is a decisive factor in the development of local tourism. Community-based tourism development gives visitors experiences of local life, in which local communities are directly involved in tourism activities and obtain socio-economic benefits and are responsible for protecting natural resources, local environment and culture. The participation of local people will play a very important role in the development of community tourism in mountainous areas and ethnic minorities, which are underdeveloped but very rich in natural and humane tourism resources. Using a desk-based research method, this study synthesizes different perspectives and approaches to community tourism with a multi-dimensional, diverse perspective as well as the driving factors and barriers to community tourism development.