Towards integrating conservation in development: a discussion of the role of the community of Apo Island in influencing development with reference to tourism in their local environment

Abstract

Many developing countries, rich with natural resources, have turned to tourism as a source of national growth and subsequently an increasing amount of local communities are being "developed". Despite its importance to developing countries, tourism has been covered scarcely in the literature on development studies.

Local communities that find themselves in a situation having to deal with tourism related development, face many challenges. Contrary to previous work on development which considered poor local communities a threat to the natural environment, current views emphasise the role of the community in bringing about participation,

conservation and consequently Sustainable Development. Therefore, if tourism can be seen as a possible path to Sustainable Development, the role of the local community in its development is of vital importance. This research investigates the role of the local community in integrating conservation in tourism related development by means of a case study on Apo Island.