Community leaders and economic
development specialists have increasingly
come to treat tourism as an important
industry that can enhance local
employment opportunities, tax revenues,
and economic diversity (Park & Stokowski,
2009). Tourism can play a significant role,
particularly in terms of addressing issues
of extreme poverty and hunger, gender
equality, environmental sustainability, and
global partnership (WTTC, 2013).
Consequently, it is a smokeless industry
that generates social, cultural,environmental, and economic impacts,
some of which are permanent and
irreversible (Partidario & Jesus, 2003).