Tourism development and conservation, do local resident attitudes matter?

Many remote communities particularly in developing countries have been targeted for development using a tourism approach. Many of these communities are living in poverty in biodiversity-rich areas. Tourists are attracted to these communities, mainly in remote areas, because of cultural and environmental attractions. It is believed that tourism has the power to provide benefits for both community development and environmental conservation. However, local communities are made up of groups and individuals with mixed views towards the environment and tourism. Local resident attitudes can have a significant impact on the success of tourism development and environmental conservation. Therefore, to facilitate achieving sustainable tourism development for communities within and around protected areas, this paper looks at a wide range of variables which determine and shape local resident attitudes.