SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT THROUGH TOURISM IN PAKISTAN: A CASE STUDY OF SWAT VALLEY

Abstract

Tourism has grown gradually both globally and in Pakistan, affecting a mass population. It is universally accepted that tourism has led to economic development. However, beyond the economic effects tourism has social, cultural, and environmental effects. The importance of sustainability in the communities, particularly in the tourism sector, needs to be understood and critically analyzed. The main objective of this study is to examine the economic, social, cultural and environmental impacts of tourism on local communities. The study used primary data from 140 households living in the four famous tourist resorts of the Sawat district (Bahrain, Madyan, Kalam, and Mingora), Pakistan. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire on the economic, social, cultural and environmental impacts of tourism. The findings showed that tourism had a positive and significant economic and cultural impacts, while had a negative and significant effect on social development. Further results showed that tourism development had caused significant environmental degradation.