Socio-Economic and Environmental Impacts of Tourism on Local Community in Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan: a Local Community Prospective

Tourism has a great potential to change the structure of the economy both in developed and developing countries. Tourism development in a region has both pros and cons for local communities. On one side, it boosting up economic growth and provide various facilities to the locals. On the other side, it is creating many negative externalities such as the communities are expected to agonize from traffic jams, crowding, increasing the crime rate, destruction of the environment and natural resources, and most prominently disturbed the community’s norms and culture. The main objective of this study is to explore the perception of local community regarding socio-economic, environmental, and cultural impact of tourism. The secondary objective of the study is to evaluate the local community participation in tourism development. To accomplish these objectives, primary data has been collected from 305 respondents in Skardu, Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan, through questionnaire. For empirical analysis, the study used varimax-rotated matrix. Results reveal that tourism activities in the region of Gilgit Baltistan improve the economic status of the members of the local community. However, tourism negatively affects the natural environment of the region and disturbed the community’s norms and culture. The local government should provide incentives to the local people and involve them in developmental decision to update their lifestyle. The findings of the study also provide insight to the tourist not to involve in unethical activities which can destroy the local norms and culture. The study also provides suggestions to the local people to cooperate and host the tourists in a better way so that they come again and again.