Community Readiness as a Precursor to Sustainable Indigenous Tourism Development: Integrating Community-Based Tourism and Community Empowerment Theory among the Orang Asli Community in Malaysia

Sustainable Indigenous Tourism Development (SITD) is increasingly recognised as an effective strategy for empowering indigenous communities, preserving cultural heritage, and promoting inclusive socio-economic development. However, the long-term sustainability of indigenous tourism depends not only on the availability of tourism resources but also on the readiness of local communities to participate meaningfully in tourism planning and development. This study examines the level of community readiness for Sustainable Indigenous Tourism Development (SITD) among the Orang Asli community in Tadom Hill, Selangor, Malaysia, through the Community Outreach Via Engagement (C.O.V.E.) 2026 programme implemented under the Service Learning Malaysia–University for Society (SULAM) initiative. Guided by the principles of Community-Based Tourism (CBT) and Community Empowerment Theory (CET), the study conceptualises community readiness through four interrelated dimensions: knowledge, attitudes, skills, and aspirations (PKSA). A quantitative approach was employed using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire involving 22 Orang Asli participants. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, Pearson correlation, and paired-samples t-tests. The findings indicate a moderate-to-high level of community readiness, with attitudes and aspirations emerging as the strongest dimensions. Significant positive relationships among all PKSA dimensions further demonstrate that community readiness is a multidimensional construct. Participants also reported significant improvements in knowledge, practical skills, emotional well-being, self-development, and future aspirations following programme participation, suggesting that university-led community engagement can strengthen the foundational capacities required for sustainable tourism participation. Rather than representing a complete measure of long-term tourism success, the findings provide an empirical baseline for understanding how community readiness can support subsequent community empowerment and sustainable indigenous tourism development. The study contributes to the indigenous tourism literature by positioning community readiness as a precursor to sustainable tourism development while highlighting the role of SULAM as a platform for capacity building and university–community collaboration. The findings offer practical guidance for policymakers, higher education institutions, and tourism practitioners in designing evidence-based initiatives that strengthen indigenous preparedness for sustainable tourism.

Community readiness; Sustainable indigenous tourism; Community-Based Tourism; Community empowerment; Indigenous tourism; SULAM.

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