The integration of local creativity-based tourism by the LED approach

Abstract

Regional development model with top down approach oftentimes became uneffective in gaining local welfare and equity. Then, Local Economic Development (LED) become the way, with focus on local empowerment in stimulating local industries and economic growth. This paper discuss the idea of LED based on local creative communities as a basis in developing tourism in regional context. The implementation of this approach will run effectively if tourism development is integrated on the regional strategies. The study conducted with comparing secondary data of tourism and regional development achievement in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). The result shows that the high rate of tourism investment is not significantly correlating with the increasing of local welfare. Instead of that, the number of poor communities and the unoptimistic perceived on jobs availability is increased. The concept of local creativity tourism is expected to encourage local economic development through local resources empowerment.