Stakeholder management for sustainable ecotourism destinations: a case of Penang Hill Malaysia

Abstract

ABSTRACT Penang Hill, one of Malaysia's most well-known natural and cultural tourist sites, is a popular destination for both domestic and foreign visitors. Penang Hill serves as a microcosm of multi-stakeholder management complexities, often encountered in major tourism destinations. Multi-stakeholder management in tourism destinations has always been complex and challenging. Hence, the primary aim of this study was to examine the perspectives of key stakeholders with regards to the sustainability of ecotourism and the management of stakeholders. A concurrent mixed-method approach was utilised and data was collected through semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. The Penang Hill Corporation has been noted to actively engage stakeholders through various means such as meetings, workshops, and seminars, with the aim of comprehending their interests in order to enhance their management strategies. The stakeholders displayed a strong inclination towards activities that yield monetary benefits. Moreover, a significantly positive relationship was observed between stakeholder management and sustainable ecotourism. The study found that Penang Hill management is on the right path and working hard to achieve ecotourism sustainability, however stakeholders need more help from the management authority, especially following the COVID-19. The findings have implications for stakeholder management in the destination's long-term ecotourism implementation.