COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN ECOTOURISM AND IMPLICATIONS ON SOCIAL IN LANGKAWI ISLAND, MALAYSIA

Abstract

The ecotourism sector in Malaysia is a tourism industry that can give various impacts in various aspects such as economic, social, and environmental. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the factors and effects of local community involvement in the ecotourism industry on Langkawi Island. A total of 160 questionnaires were distributed randomly to the community around Chenang Beach and Pekan Kuah, Langkawi Island. Data obtained through questionnaires were analyzed using the software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Among the types of data analysis used by the researcher in the effort to test the objectives of the study are such as reliability analysis, frequency analysis, and descriptive analysis. The results of this study found that the factors of local community involvement in the ecotourism industry on Langkawi Island are heavily influenced by variables such as the source of income (56.30%), employment opportunities (38.80%), poverty eradication (1.90%), and want to increase purchasing power population (3.1%). Meanwhile, the results of the analysis of the impact of local community involvement in the ecotourism industry on Langkawi Island found that most respondents chose to have an impact on social such as opening job opportunities to increase income (mean = 4.48), and be able to attract more tourists (mean = 4.55). KEYWORDS: Ecotourism, factors, effects, Langkawi Island, SPSS