THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF ECOTOURISM IN TAMAN NEGARA PAHANG ON THE LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS WITH DIFFERENT ECONOMIC STATUSES

Ecotourism conserves the natural environment and raises the community’s living standards. The socio-economic impacts, however, may vary due to different economic statuses among the local community groups. Hence this study examines the socio-economic impacts of ecotourism in Taman Negara Pahang on the locals and indigenous people with different incomes, education, and occupations. This qualitative research employed semi-structured interviews to understand better the socioeconomic benefits and challenges of tourism development in the national park. It was found that the locals were highly dependent on tourism economic activities, and their living standards improved. Nevertheless, most indigenous people still lived in poverty because they were incompetent with limited communication skills and hospitality knowledge. Besides, tourism seasonality has caused irregular business revenue, low return on investment, and underutilisation of facilities in the off-peak season. Conversely, the tourism operators and locals may gain maximum business revenue and additional income in the peak season. This paper draws the attention of government agencies and local community groups to the importance of educational attainment and appropriate capacity-building programs based on different needs to ensure an equitable distribution of ecotourism socio-economic benefits. Their involvement in such events may also help to overcome the challenges of tourism seasonality through proper planning and implementation in the national park.