Community Engagement as a Mediator between Land Suitability and Investment in Facilities on Tourism Potential in Huangma Village, China

Authors

  • Ling Cai

    Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Shah Alam 40450, Malaysia
  • Zaharah Mohd Yusoff

    Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Shah Alam 40450, Malaysia
  • Nor Aizam Adnan

    Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Shah Alam 40450, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/jees.v7i7.9625
Received: 21 April 2025 | Revised: 17 June 2025 | Accepted: 18 June 2025 | Published Online: 21 July 2025

Abstract

This study examines the influence of land suitability and investment in facilities on tourism potential, with a particular focus on the mediating role of community engagement. While previous research has explored the impact of environmental and infrastructural factors on tourism development, few studies have examined the interactive effects of community engagement in maximizing these benefits. This study aims to fill this gap by providing empirical evidence from Huangma Village, Jiangxi Province, China. A quantitative research design was adopted, using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS to test the hypothesized relationships. Data were collected from 231 respondents, including local residents, tourism business owners, government officials, and infrastructure developers, through a structured survey questionnaire. The results confirm that land suitability and infrastructure investment significantly enhance tourism potential, with community engagement playing a crucial mediating role. The findings suggest that tourism success depends not only on physical and economic factors but also on active local participation in tourism-related initiatives. This study contributes to the literature by integrating environmental, infrastructural, and social dimensions of tourism development. The findings offer practical insights for policymakers and tourism planners, emphasizing the need for sustainable land management, strategic infrastructure investment, and participatory tourism governance to maximize tourism potential.

Keywords:

Land Suitability; Infrastructure Investment; Community Engagement; Tourism Potential; Sustainable Tourism

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How to Cite

Cai, L., Mohd Yusoff, Z., & Adnan, N. A. (2025). Community Engagement as a Mediator between Land Suitability and Investment in Facilities on Tourism Potential in Huangma Village, China. Journal of Environmental & Earth Sciences, 7(7), 286–303. https://doi.org/10.30564/jees.v7i7.9625

Issue

Vol. 7 , Iss. 7 (July 2025): In Progress

Article Type

Article

License

Copyright © 2025 Ling Cai, Zaharah Mohd Yusoff, Nor Aizam Adnan

Creative Commons License

This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.

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