INDIGENOUS TOURISM VENTURES IN MALAYSIA: EXPLORING ITS POTENTIALS AND LIMITATIONS

Agro and ecotourism activities in Cameron Highlands Malaysia play a vital role in promoting growth to its surrounding region. Tourism activities generate income to the local residents including the indigenous community that lives in settlements scattered within this tourism hub. Although previous studies have highlighted the economic needs to also introduce indigenous tourism to this area, limited studies have actually evaluated its potentials and limitations as a tourism product. Hence this study embarks on appraising indigenous tourism potentials and developing strategies for its successful implementation. SWOT analysis was performed to detail its internal strengths and weaknesses and its external opportunities and threats. TOWS matrix was used as a situational analysis in developing strategies for the implementation of the proposed indigenous tourism product. The SWOT analysis shows this product has 13 strengths, 10 weaknesses, 13 opportunities and 9 threats. These points are used in the TOWS matrix and relevant strategies were proposed. This study concludes that indigenous tourism has great potential to be explored in this region but appropriate measures must be considered in its development and implementation.