Resilience of Rural Destinations as a Foundation for Long-Term Competitiveness: A Social-Ecological System Approach

Abstract

Rural tourism destinations face environmental, socio-economic, and tourism-related pressures that threaten their long-term competitiveness. This study examines rural destination resilience using a socio-ecological systems (SES) approach, focusing on interactions between social and ecological components. An exploratory qualitative case study employed semi-structured interviews, field observations, and documentation involving tourism stakeholders and local communities. Data were analysed thematically through systematic coding, interpretation, and triangulation. Findings reveal that resilience emerges from interactions among social, institutional, and ecological dimensions. Community participation, trust, cultural practices, adaptive governance, long-term planning, continuous evaluation, and local regulations such as awik-awik enhance adaptive capacity. Ecological sustainability and natural resource authenticity underpin destination attractiveness, while water scarcity and natural disasters threaten livelihoods and tourism continuity. Collective awareness and community adaptation help preserve destination identity and functions. Resilience is therefore a dynamic process of anticipation, adaptation, and transformation, requiring community empowerment, responsive governance, and environmental protection to sustain rural tourism competitiveness.