IMPACT OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS ON SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN RURAL VILLAGES (WITH REFERENCE TO MATARA AND GALLE DISTRICTS OF SRI LANKA)

Abstract

Tourism is the world's most popular and fastest-growing industry. Encourage community members to visit untouched areas in many countries. The main objective was to study the impact of tourism development projects on sustainable community tourism. Quantitative research methods were used for this study. Using the multi-stage cluster sampling method, 250 sample people from Kanneliya and Mederipitiya tourism villages in the southern province of Sri Lanka were selected as the research site using a structured questionnaire.Multiple regression analysis was used as an analysis tool. The results have revealed that financial assistance, capacity development, network building,and infrastructure development have both positive and negative relationships with economic, social, cultural, and environmental sustainability. The research findings assist policymakers and community members in identifying the project's pluses and minuses, and making necessary improvements in the future. In the future, researchers could identify further gaps relating to such community empowerment projects.