Community participation in the development of community-based tourism in the mountainous areas of Da Nang: Current situation and key issues

Local community participation is essential to sustainable community-based tourism (CBT). In the mountainous areas of Da Nang, CBT is shifting from household-scale activities toward more organized and interconnected models involving indigenous culture, ecology, agriculture, and experiential tourism. Using a case study approach, secondary data analysis, and content analysis, this article examines community participation in CBT development. The findings show that local communities participate in resource utilization, service provision, tourism product development, and cultural and environmental conservation. Cooperatives and community organizations have also created opportunities for more organized participation. However, community involvement in management, planning, decision-making, and benefit distribution requires further strengthening. Constraints related to capacity, capital, infrastructure, markets, and business linkages continue to limit community initiative. The study argues that future CBT development should prioritize community self-governance, participation rights, and access to tourism benefits rather than merely expanding the number of tourism models.