Harnessing Social Capital for Fostering Non-Tourism Actor Involvement in Sustainable Tourism: A Case Study of an Indonesian Village

Abstract

As tourism village development proliferates in Indonesia, discernible disparities in perceived benefits among tourism and non-tourism stakeholders have been noted, suggesting that the advantages of tourism are not uniformly distributed among the community. Here, social capital, representing interpersonal trust, networks, and shared norms, emerges as a significant catalyst for resolving the identified challenges and securing community endorsement for sustainable village tourism. This investigation aims to explore the role of social capital and the extent of non-tourism actor engagement in facilitating the longevity of a selected Indonesian tourism village. Data concerning social capital and community involvement were procured via questionnaires administered to 270 respondents, the majority of whom were non-tourism actors within the village. The collected data were subsequently scrutinised utilising Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The study found that while these non-tourism actors are primarily of productive age, their education levels are relatively low and their primary occupations are low-income farming. Intriguingly, these individuals demonstrate substantial social capital despite their lack of direct engagement in tourism activities, which could be harnessed to promote their active involvement in sustainable village tourism. The research further underscores that trust, a fundamental facet of social capital, is instrumental in cultivating community networks and promoting active participation among non-tourism actors. The understanding derived from this research is hoped to provide a basis for policy formulation, aimed at fostering non-tourism actor engagement in tourism-centric activities, thereby allowing them access to the tourism industry benefits, such as secondary income through tourism-related jobs.