Pengupayaan komuniti dan kelestarian pembangunan pelancongan di Miso Walai Homestay Kinabatangan, Sabah

Abstract

Community based tourism (CBT) is a catalyst for economic development in rural community. However, very few CBT projects initiated either by the government or non-governmental organization (NGO) are sustainable and competitive. The aim of this study is to explore and acquire an in-depth understanding on the process of developing Miso Walai Homestay, located in Kinabatangan, Sabah particularly from the aspect of community capacity building. To achieve the abovementioned aim, 19 key informants were chosen among the stakeholders using the purposive sampling technique. In this study semi-structured interview was the main instrument used for data collection, while documentation and observation were the secondary instruments. Data analysis was facilitated by NViVO 8 software used to organize the data according to themes and categories. The findings of the study reveal that the development of Miso Walai Homestay was initiated by the local youths and developed through the seed of fund provided by NGO. The planning process of Miso Walai Homestay development was based on bottom-up approach where community members were actively involved in the process. During the infancy stage, the NGO focused on self empowerment efforts which concentrate on the process of changing mindset, and building the knowledge and skills. The findings also reveal that the establishment of a community owned business entity namely Tourism Cooperative (KOPEL) is an essential structural empowerment. Another significant finding shows that community support, cohesion, cooperation and sense of belonging are quintessential factors in the success of Miso Walai Homestay development. Overall, this study demonstrates that commendable community capacity building effort that encompasses crucial components such as human capital development, organization empowerment and social capital empowerment are critical components in the development of sustainable CBT projects.