ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates the search for sustainable tourism in Malaysia, drawing on the empirical case study of Langkawi Geopark rangers. Sustainable tourism seeks to juxtapose the conservation and development agenda into a holistic package, yet ‘greenwashing’ can occur when unsubstantiated or misleading claims are made about the sustainability of a product, service, or practice. Tourism demand trends to the Langkawi archipelago reveal a rapid growth in annual arrivals at the national level, with visits exceeding 3.5 million annually. Next, longitudinal analysis explores the role of key stakeholders such as the Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), established in 1990 and instrumental in Langkawi’s search for sustainability via its listing as the first Geopark in Southeast Asia in 2007. An inaugural ranger unit established within LADA’s Geopark Division in 2012 aimed to bridge the development-conservation gap by improving stewardship on the archipelago. However, findings from interviews and content analysis of ranger reports revealed three categories of potential obstacles, related to i) human resources and job conditions; ii) ranger activities; and iii) inter-organizational collaboration. Specific visitor flashpoints remain unresolved, from curbing mangrove jet ski tours to macaque monkey management, which could undermine efforts to realign Langkawi’s development toward sustainable mass tourism.
