"Empowering Urban Communities through Sustainable Tourism: The Case of GLOW 2025 in Kampung Pengkalan Rama Pantai, Melaka"

Abstract

In Kampung Pengkalan Rama Pantai, Melaka, this study examines the effects of the GLOW 2025 (Growth, Learning, and Opportunities for World-Class Tourism) initiative as a game-changing model for sustainable urban tourism. The research uses a quantitative method using survey responses from 65 participants, including local community, university affiliates, and government stakeholders, and is based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Community-Based Tourism (CBT) paradigm. The results show a significant rise in social cohesion (72.7%), environmental awareness (97.1%), and entrepreneurial interest, especially in hospitality, craft, and culinary endeavors. These findings highlight the value of focused training, institutional support, and community involvement in creating sustainable tourist ecosystems. Despite being restricted to a single urban heritage site, the study provides insightful information that can be used to replicate CBT models in comparable settings. This study is unique since it focuses on an urban Malaysian context and offers a framework that is inclusive and scalable for community-driven tourism development that is in line with national sustainability objectives.