Tourism development is regarded as an efficient tool for regional development that brings economic, social, cultural, and environmental improvement. That is why many regions are pushing forward with tourism development strategies for their economic gr...
Tourism development is regarded as an efficient tool for regional development that brings economic, social, cultural, and environmental improvement. That is why many regions are pushing forward with tourism development strategies for their economic growth. However, the tourist spot-centered development with exclusion of local opinions has caused an outflow of development gains, environmental degradation, and alienation of local residents, showing its limitations in achieving sustainable regional development.
In this regard, community tourism was presented in order to overcome the problems of the existing tourism development. As a practical strategy for sustainable tourism, the concept puts much emphasis on the active participation of local residents in development process. In other words, a community takes the lead in tourism development as well as in the return of development gains to promote regional economy. As the target, operator, and substances of development expand from the tourist spot to community, various stakeholders get involved. Consequently, community tourism mainly aims to minimize conflict among stakeholers and promote cooperation. However, compared to the significance of collaboration among stakeholders, analysis on their cooperative relations is still insufficient.
Against this backdrop, this study will analyze collaboration between the interested parties by reviewing the concept and characteristics of community tourism and theories about stakeholder.
The study will also conduct an analysis on the factors affecting stakeholder collaboration among as well as roles of stakeholders so as to suggest measures to improve collaboration among various stakeholders in the development procedures. To achieve these research goals, social network analysis was used.
This research selected Jeung-do in Shinan-gun, which was recently designated as a Slow City, as a target area to look into the relationship among stakeholders in the early stages of community tourism development. The tourism development in Jeung-do, the slow city, is in its infancy and opinions of the community have been heard throughout the planning and promoting phases.
These reasons explain the selection of the city as an investigation area. The results of the analysis are as follows. First, stakeholders' ideas on the development direction of Jeung-do were consistent with the concept of Slow city. More specifically, they explained that local industries, especially tourism should be nurtured while protecting the natural environment. Second, the centrality analysis showed that the leader of Jeung-do and the head of the project promotion committee were at the center of the community. It seems that their close relationship with local residents helped them build a long-time trust.
Third, while these stakeholders have formed collaboration in operation, consultation, and cooperation, continuous exchanges and information sharing need to be emphasized to further the mutually cooperative relationship. According to the study, the following factors should be considered to realize community tourism development.
First, the public sector should plan tourism development that fits the concept of slow city and share its vision and goals.
It should also come up with strategies to boost regional economy through which local residents can be convinced to participate.
Second, for better collaboration among stakeholders, their relationship should be built on mutual trust and information sharing. Establishing a regular cooperation system is one way to prevent conflicts from arising.Third, community marketing should be carried out to let the community know the fact that economic and social collaboration within the community is essential for successful progress of the community tourism.
This study analyzed the collaboration among stakeholders who appear in the early stages of community tourism development.
This analysis holds significance in that it can help to prepare measures to promote collaboration among different stakeholders.
It is expected that this study will be used in future policy development and promotion of community tourism and contribute to the advancement of other related theories.
In the meantime, the study has a limitation as it targeted only one particular site.
Future researches need to identify diverse stakeholders that might emerge in the process of community tourism development and select different case areas for more in-depth analysis on the collaboration among stakeholders.