Impact of community participation on sustainable development in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh: Mediating effect of marine tourism development

While marine tourism is crucial to coastal economies, community involvement is highly essential for its long-term viability. Achieving a balance between ecological conservation and economic expansion in marine tourism destinations demands a greater understanding of how local participation influences sustainable development. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the dominance of community participation on sustainable development in the context of a popular marine tourism destination, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, explicitly focusing on marine tourism development's mediating position. Adopting a quantitative research approach, 400 local residents were surveyed. Analysis was conducted to explore relationships between “community participation," “marine tourism development," and “sustainable development outcomes." The findings reveal that higher levels of local involvement significantly contribute to sustainable development outcomes, with marine tourism serving as a crucial mediator. The study underscores the importance of incorporating community voice into tourism decision-making and policies to foster sustainable development in coastal area destinations. By empowering local communities, policymakers can enhance the efficacy of marine tourism as an instrument for sustainable development in Cox’s Bazar and similar coastal regions.