Assessing Community Livelihood Assets and Tourism Development Readiness through the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework: The Case of Kutubdia Island, Bangladesh

Tourism is frequently promoted as a livelihood diversification strategy for coastal and island communities. However, many coastal and island destinations remain underdeveloped due to uneven local capacities. This study addresses a critical gap in the literature by examining community readiness for tourism development prior to tourism intervention using an asset-based analytical lens. Focusing on Kutubdia Island in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, the study applies the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework (SLF) to assess the status of five livelihood capitals - human, social, natural, financial, and physical capital- and how these capitals shape community preparedness and willingness to engage in tourism. The paper adopts a qualitative exploratory research design based on 25 semi-structured interviews with local community members representing diverse livelihood groups, including fishers, farmers, small business owners, teachers, and service-sector workers in Kutubdia Island. The findings indicate relatively strong social capital reflected in community cohesion, trust, and hospitality. Human capital is at a moderate level, with educational aspirations present but limited tourism-specific skills. Natural capital is abundant and diverse, but it remains highly vulnerable to environmental degradation. Financial capital is unevenly distributed and poorly organized. Limited physical capital, especially in transportation, accommodation, healthcare, and basic tourism infrastructure, is the main problem. The study shows that having a high level of community readiness and acceptance is not enough for tourism development if there is no basic physical capital. It provides evidence that using the SLF approach to assessing tourism readiness in early development stages is highly valuable. This offers useful insights for policymakers and tourism planners working on connecting tourism projects with local abilities in vulnerable island areas.