HOW CAN COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISM HELP PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE TOURISM SECTOR?

The emphasis on Sustainable Development (SD) in Oman has gained momentum in recent years as the nation seeks to diversify its economy and reduce its heavy reliance on oil revenues, in line with the aspirations of Oman Vision 2040. Within this framework, tourism—particularly community-based tourism (CBT) — has been identified as a promising sector that can contribute to sustainable economic, social, and environmental outcomes. The purpose of the present st udy is to investigate the effect of community-based tourism factors on Sustainable Development, investigate the consequences of community-based tourism on local communities. To achieve these objectives, preliminary data were collected through structured online questionnaires distributed to a diverse group of 402 respondents, comprising local community members, representatives from the tourism sector, and tourists in the Dhofar region of Oman. The data were analysed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with the support of WarpPLS software, allowing for the testing of hypothesized relationships between the CBT factors and sustainable development outcomes. The findings indicate that the three factors of community - based tourism (i.e. Economic Factor, Social Factor, and Environmental Factor) have significantly affect Sustainable Development (SD). This research makes a meaningful contribution by being among the first empirical studies in Oman to examine the interplay between CBT and sustainable development through a quantitative modeling approach. The insights generated can inform policymakers, tourism practitioners, and local communities in enhancing awareness of the advantages and challenges associated with CBT, as well as guiding the practical application of sustainable tourism strategies within Oman and other contexts pursuing similar development goals.