Local Community Behavior Model in Participatory-Based Sustainable Tourism Development

Abstract

Sustainable tourism development is one of the main agendas in many countries, including Indonesia. Tourism based on the principle of sustainability provides economic benefits, maintains environmental sustainability, and promotes local cultural values. One of the key factors for the success of sustainable tourism development is support from local communities. Local communities play an important role because they are subjects and objects in tourism development. The involvement of local communities in this process can increase a sense of ownership, active Participation, and compliance with sustainable tourism practices. However, not all local communities have the same behavior in supporting sustainable tourism development. This study aims to find a model of local community behavior in supporting participatory-based sustainable tourism development. The study identifies local community behavior, such as attitudes, social norms, knowledge, and perceptions of benefits in sustainable tourism development through active Participation. This study uses a quantitative approach with Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis techniques. Data were collected through questionnaires from 100 local community respondents in Ranupani Village, Senduro District, Lumajang Regency, East Java Province, Indonesia. The results showed that attitudes and perceptions of benefits had a positive and significant effect on active Participation, while social norms and knowledge did not have a significant effect. Furthermore, active Participation was proven to positively and significantly affect sustainable tourism development. Attitudes and perceptions of benefits also indirectly influenced sustainable tourism development through active Participation. These results indicate the importance of building positive attitudes and increasing perceptions of the benefits of sustainable tourism to encourage active community involvement. Conversely, the low influence of social norms and knowledge requires a more effective approach by strengthening social norms and providing relevant education to the community. This study contributes to developing community behavior theory in sustainable tourism development. Further research is suggested to explore other variables, such as policy or technology support, that can influence active community participation.