Destination resources as precursors of ecotourism competitiveness: a study of totally protected areas in Sarawak, Malaysia during COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this rapidly changing world of digitalization, the role of ecotourism in Malaysia is pivotal in the effort of tourism development. This study aims to determine the created and supporting resources and their impacts on tourism destination competitiveness based on the perspectives of domestic and international tourists. The questionnaire was completed by 189 respondents and the model produced was evaluated using WarpPLS 7.0. The findings showed that supporting resources (destination accessibility and quality of tourism services) are positively and substantially associated with competitiveness in ecotourism destination. Surprisingly, the absence of significant relationships between created resources (tourism infrastructure and range of activities) and ecotourism destination competitiveness was revealed. These findings enable tourism practitioners to better understand the impacts of resources on the sustainable development of ecotourism competitiveness, specifically from tourists’ perspectives. In addition, the outcomes of the present study can be meaningful especially during the stage of revitalizing ecotourism industry post-COVID-19.