Case Study - Answer all Questions (3 x 2 marks = 6 marks) Local communities and tourism Tourism is considered one of the most crucial industries that has substantial consequences on local communities' lives and behavior in many countries all over the world, as it has significant impacts on the social, cultural, economic, and environmental aspects in these nations. Consequently, tourism has become a mechanism of community development in many destinations, particularly for rural, and/or isolated regions, where locals heavily depend on tourism and its related businesses as a major source of their income. In this case, local communities may perceive tourism positively due to its potential for employment, income generation (e.g., direct, indirect, and induced income), and improved community infrastructure. However, on the other hand, they may negatively perceive tourism because of its negative socio-cultural impacts and environmental costs. As a result, community attitudes towards tourism constantly simultaneously reveal both positive and negative perspectives. A key point to be considered here is that the interaction between visitors and locals could be one of the factors influencing community attitudes and behavior towards tourism. This depends on the way in which tourists are aware of or sensitive to locals' customs and traditions. Furthermore, it should be mentioned that locals' attitudes towards tourism are a vital criterion in the identification, measurement and analysis of the changes generated by tourism. Moreover, locals' attitudes towards tourism are crucial to determine their responses to tourism development policies and planning within their countries. Essential source: Jimura, T. (2011). The impact of world heritage site designation on local communities-A case study of Ogimachi, Shirakawa-mura, Japan. Tourism Management, 32(2). 288-296. Answer the following questions: 1. Discuss briefly the contribution of tourism to economic growth. Give examples of Oman. 2. Explain any TWO negative effects of tourism on the social- cultural environment? Give examples of any destination in Oman. 3. Provide FOUR suggestions on how to enhance local community attitudes towards tourism