Community-based tourism in Mararison Island, Culasi, Antique: Challenges and participation among local residents

Abstract

Community-based Tourism (CBT) has become the newest sustainable alternative for tourism, promoting local empowerment and cultural preservation. However, these projects usually experience significant setbacks in underdeveloped regions such as Mararison Island, Culasi, Antique, where infrastructural inadequacies, lack of stakeholder communication, and resource scarcity limit its development. This research assessed the socio-demographic profiles, challenges, and participation levels of 200 local residents in CBT through a quantitative one-shot survey design. Results revealed that residents perceived tourism challenges as manageable but noted difficulties related to economic instability and stakeholder involvement. Participation was high across all dimensions, particularly in heritage preservation, skills development, and governance, reflecting strong community commitment irrespective of demographic factors. Notably, a significant correlation was found between community challenges and participation levels, highlighting that shared difficulties inspire greater engagement in tourism activities. These findings emphasize the need for holistic support from the government, upgraded infrastructure, and specific skill building to overcome these economic and governance barriers. The participation as well as perceptions are identical across different demographic groups, which suggests a collective community effort fostering resilience as well as collective responsibility for the community-based tourism success. This study fills a critical gap in understanding its dynamics in rural Philippine settings, providing actionable insights for stakeholders to enhance sustainable tourism development and improve socio-economic outcomes for local residents.