Community Involvement in Culture and Nature Tourism in Sarawak

Abstract

Tourism has gained recognition as one of the fastest growing industry in Malaysia and generated substantial revenue to the country. In Sarawak local cultures have long been the main tourism attractions together with adventure, and lately the focus of tourism in Sarawak include nature. Tourism programs if properly planned and implemented can and should bring benefits not only to the tour operators and the local communities, but also helps to conserve the environment. Nevertheless, there are some essential issues that must be tackled in order to ensure the sustainability of tourism in Sarawak. The success and sustainability of ecotourism depends to a large extend on the participation and cooperation from the local people in the planning and management of tourism activities. This article explores these two vital issues within the context of sustainable tourism development in Sarawak. Studies indicated terms of employment, tourism generally provides both full-time as well as part-time employment for the local communities such providing river transportation and related services, and employment in the parks and hotels (as in the case of Mulu) in addition to providing cultural shows and performances as well as making and/or selling local handicrafts. The rate of local participation was higher among the more established tourism longhouses. Also, good but varied degree of cooperation exists between the local indigenous community and tour agencies. Consequently, the well-established tourism longhouses were generating more incomes through tourism when compared to the newly adopted longhouses.

Keywords: Tourism, Sarawak, community participation, sustainable, cooperation

ABSTRAK

Sebagai satu industri yang kian meningkat, industri pelancongan telah banyak menyumbang kepada pendapatan negara. Di Sarawak budaya tempatan telah lama menjadi daya tarikan pelancong ke Negeri Sarawak selain daripada tarikan pengembaraan dan alam semulajadi. Program pelancongan boleh membawa manfaat kepada penduduk tempatan dan agensi pelancongan serta memelihara alam sekitar sekiranya program tersebut dirancang dan dilaksanakan dengan betul. Namun begitu, terdapat beberapa isu yang perlu ditangani bagi menentukan industri pelancongan mapan di Sarawak. Kejayaan dan kemapanan ekopelancongan bergantung pada penglibatan dan kerjasama penduduk tempatan dalam perancangan dan pengurusan aktiviti-aktiviti pelancongan. Isi-isu ini dibincangkan secara mendalam dalam konteks kemapanan pembangunan industri pelancongan di Sarawak. Kajian menunjukkan bahawa, dari sudut pekerjaan, pelancongan memberi peluang pekerjaan, samada sepenuh masa atau separuh masa, kepada penduduk tempatan seperti dalam perkhidmatan pengangkutan sungai, pekerjaan di Taman Negara dan hotel (seperti di Mulu) selain dari mengadakan persembahan budaya, membuat dan menjual kraftangan. Kadar penglibatan penduduk tempatan dalam aktiviti pelancongan didapati tinggi dalam kalangan penduduk rumah panjang yang telah lama dikunjungi oleh pelancong. Selain itu, kerjasama di antara pihak agensi pelancongan dengan orang tempatan adalah memuaskan walaupun terdapat perbezaan mengikut lokasi. Justeru, komuniti yang telah lama terlibat dengan aktiviti pelancongan, secara amnya, memperolehi pendapatan yang lebih tinggi jika dibandingkan dengan komuniti destinasi pelancongan yang agak baru.

Kata kunci: Pelancongan, Sarawak, penglibatan komuniti, mapan, kerjasama