The Potential of Tourism Sustainability through SWOT Analysis: The Case study of Pahang National Park, Malaysia

Abstract

The tourism industry can have a huge impact on a location and community. Thus, it is very important for an area to know what tourism potential can be created and used as a tourism product. Thus, this study aims to explore the potential attraction of tourism activities in Pahang National Park area. As such, a qualitative study was conducted through focus group discussion and unstructured in-depth interview. The data was transcribed by N-vivo software to get the potential characteristic factors before analyzed by SWOT analysis and generate the mitigation strategies by SWOT matrix. Result shows that, Pahang National Park has great potential in the tourism industry with its natural beauty, ecological diversity, cultural heritage, and tourist adventures. However, to optimize this potential, national parks need to address weaknesses in accessibility, infrastructure, and environmental impacts while taking advantage of opportunities in tourist ecological growth, educational programs, infrastructure development, and cultural experiences. Threats such as environmental degradation, competition, natural disasters, regulatory changes, and health issues need to be faced with appropriate strategies to ensure continuity and long-term success in the Pahang National Park tourism industry. The development of potential and income opportunities based on the environment/natural resources can be a “tool” to improve the standard of living and reduce the poverty rate of the community, especially the rural population.