Does income from tourism sources have an equalising effect on inequality among the poor? The case of Langkawi island, Malaysia

Abstract

The question posed in this paper is this: is income from tourism sources an equalising or a disequalising factor in the distribution of income among the poor? The examination of this question is imperative since recent literature has suggested that tourism development should be linked with poverty reduction. Unfortunately, this is usually ignored in the formulation of tourism policies and strategies. This paper, therefore, argues that as well as encouraging the poor to participate in the tourism industry, the question of inequality among the poor resulting from their participation in the tourism industry should be considered. In other words, the potential of tourism as a vehicle for scaling up income of the poor should not lead to the widening of inequality among the poor, which could lead to social and political instability. This paper explores this issue by examining the case of the poor households in Langkawi Island, one of the major tourist destinations in Malaysia.