Impact of the Tourism Sector on the Socio-Economy of Indigenous People on The Islands Around Semporna

. The natural beauty of the islands is the main attraction of the tourism sector in Semporna, Sabah. The development of this tourism industry is seen to have a positive impact on the overall development in the Semporna District. However, whether this tourism development has a positive impact on the socio-economic development of the indigenous people in the surrounding islands of Semporna is the primary focus of this pilot study. The objective of this study is to identify the impact of tourism on the socio-economic development of the indigenous communities in the surrounding islands of Semporna. The study adopts a quantitative approach involving 60 respondents, with 20 respondents in each study location. The study locations include three islands around Semporna: Larapan Island, Omadal Island, and Mabul Island. The results of the study found that the respondents strongly agreed that the arrival of tourists in Semporna increased the income of the island's residents and provided job opportunities for the local population, with a minimum mean value of 4.6 for both aspects. In the social aspect, the majority of community members were highly responsive and believed that tourism empowered women's involvement (mean=4.4) and strengthened cooperation among community members (mean=4.6). In conclusion, the development of tourism in Semporna has a positive impact on the socio-economic development of the indigenous communities in the surrounding islands. However, various initiatives need


Introduction
Tourism is a rapidly developing service sector and a contributor to income for most countries in the world.In the Malaysian context, the government allocated a budget of RM1.1 billion for the year 2020 in the development of the tourism sector [1].The number of tourist arrivals to Malaysia increased from 25.83 million people in 2018 to 26.10 million people in 2019 and the value of income reached RM86.1 billion in 2019 compared to RM84.1 billion in 2018 [2].This data clearly shows that the Malaysian government is serious in developing this tourism sector because it is able to generate good income for the country.
One of the tourist destinations that has a large number of tourist arrivals is Sabah.The number of tourism arrivals in 2019 reached 4.2 million people [3] and for 2020 the Sabah State Government allocated RM237.61 million for the development of the tourism sector [3].Among the main tourist attractions in Sabah are the 3S which are Sun, Sea and Sand.Sabah is a state famous for tourism attractions based on small islands.
The existence of Semporna District as a popular tourist destination shows great potential to provide positive benefits to the local community.The rapid development of tourism in this area should provide employment opportunities, increased income, as well as social and economic empowerment to the local community.With major attractions such as Mabul Island, Sipadan Island, and Kapalai, tourists from all over the world come to Semporna to enjoy the natural beauty, diving activities, and local cultural experiences.The arrival of tourists will open job opportunities in the tourism sector, such as hotel and resort management, provision of tourism services, transportation, and related industries.
Overall, the rapid development of tourism in Semporna District should provide positive benefits to the local community.However, it is important to ensure that these benefits are distributed fairly and sustainably to local communities, by involving them in the development process, providing job opportunities and skill development, as well as ensuring the sustainability of the environment and local culture is maintained.With a balanced and integrated approach, tourism development can be a source of economic and social revival for local communities in Semporna District.However, does the development of tourism have a positive impact on the socio-economic development of the indigenous people in the islands around Semporna is the main issue in this preliminary study (pilot study).The objective of this study is to identify the impact of tourism on the socioeconomics of the indigenous people in the islands around Semporna.

Literature review
According to Yahaya [4], community refers to a small group of people who live in a settlement, practice a certain level of autonomy and their own way of life, share aspirations and wishes, participate in daily activities, unite with the spirit of belonging and have a close relationship in all aspects of life.Jabil and Nor-Ina [5] said, most islands in the world have many similarities such as small size, small population, traditional and underdeveloped socioeconomic structure.In general, there are two basic characteristics of an island, namely 'remoteness' and 'smallness' [5].Island communities are people who live on small islands that are isolated from the mainland [4].Community involvement is one of the most important aspects in tourism development.Community interest in every tourism development activity not only contributes to the development of tourism destinations but also indirectly benefits them.
In the context of sustainable tourism, the concept of community involvement has been widely discussed.The involvement of local residents is a factor in the success of tourism planning [6].In general, development is a process that allows communities to enjoy benefits from it.Socioeconomics is associated with social and economic elements or factors [7].
Socio-economic development is a process related to economic activities and the social life of a community.This process involves the use of theories and methods from various disciplines, such as sociology, economics, history, psychology, development, etc.However, most studies or research on socioeconomics focus on the social impact of changes in economic aspects.In the context of tourism, development takes into account its contribution to the local community which covers various factors such as economic, social and cultural [8].In addition, tourism development also involves the process of developing, arranging and upgrading the infrastructure of a tourist area taking into account environmental factors.
The results of previous studies found that tourism development improves the standard of living and well-being of the local community [9,10].Whereas, according to a study conducted by Kim et al. [11] there is a positive relationship between tourism development and satisfaction in the life of the local community.Tourism development also has a positive impact on the quality of life of local communities [12].The overall effect of this impact is measured based on dimensions or items of economic, social, cultural and environmental factors.
Based on surveys and observations from past researchers, it can be concluded that tourism development has an impact whether positive or negative and further has an overall impact, which is well-being and satisfaction in the life of the local community.Therefore, this tourism development should be fully utilized by the local population to improve their life system.The development carried out has great implications for the local population in various positive aspects although there are also negative impacts.

Research methodology
The selection of the sample is done by independent random sampling.A total of 60 respondents from the local community were involved in this study.This amount is set based on the justification that the amount is felt to be sufficient for this preliminary study to represent the community population of the study area.In this way, the distribution of respondents is more comprehensive and able to make an assessment and be able to analyse the impact of tourism development.The research instrument uses a questionnaire.All this questionnaire was distributed to the indigenous community of Mabul Island, Omadal Island and Larapan Island.
The analysis of the study was done using SPSS statistical software.Some of the analysis techniques used include descriptive techniques, crosstabulation, mean, and frequency.Descriptive techniques are used to describe the characteristics of respondents and explain the results of the study in the form of descriptive statistics such as average (mean) and frequency.

Research area
This study is conducted in the Semporna district of Sabah.Semporna District is situated in the southeastern region of the Malaysian state of Sabah, located on the northern part of the island of Borneo.It is bordered by the Sulu Sea to the east and the Celebes Sea to the south.The district's geographical coordinates are approximately 4.4818° N latitude and 118.6156°E longitude.Semporna town, the administrative centre of the district, serves as a starting point for many visitors exploring the surrounding islands and marine attractions.The district encompasses a series of islands, each offering unique marine experiences and cultural interactions.It is well-connected to other parts of Sabah and Malaysia through air and sea transportation.
Figure 1 shows the map of the island that involves in this study.These three islands have their own uniqueness and located in Semporna District.Mabul Island is already famous in tourism while Omadal Island and Larapan Island are not tourist hotspots.Even though these two islands are still not tourist hotspots, they are among the islands closest to Semporna Town and the residents of this island should be affected by the tourism activities that take place in Semporna Town.

Demographic profile of respondents
Table 1 shows that on Mabul Island all the respondents involved in this study have lived on Mabul Island for more than 20 years.In terms of the main occupation, this study identified fishing as the most dominant occupation on Mabul Island, with a total of 60% of respondents.In addition, there are also respondents who are housewives (25%), work in the private sector (10%), and are self-employed (5%).In the context of ethnic diversity, the majority of respondents are from the Suluk ethnic tribe (60%), followed by Bajau Ubian (30%), and other ethnicities (10%).From the aspect of income, only 10 percent of the respondents have a total income of more than RM2001 and the majority of them have an income of RM100) and below.
As for Larapan Island, most respondents have lived for over 20 years (90%).Most of the respondents (90%) in this study are from the Bajau Ubian ethnic group (90%), while a small number (10%) are from the Suluk ethnic group.For the dominant main occupations in this study are as fishermen (60%), housewives (30%) and working in the private sector (10%).The number of respondents who have a total income below RM1000 is the highest recorded which is 80 percent and the rest earn between RM1001-RM2000.
All respondents on Omadal Island have lived on the island for over 20 years.Majority of respondents are from the Bajau Ubian ethnic tribe (80%) and (20%) are Suluk ethnic respondents.The dominant main occupations in this study are as fishermen (40%), selfemployed (20%), housewives (30%), and working in the private sector (10%).The number of respondents who earned an income below RM1000 was the most which was 60% followed by the total income between RM1001-RM2000.No respondent has a total income exceeding RM2001 in Omadal Island.

Economic impact
Table 2 shows a cross-tabulation between the study locations (Mabul Island, Larapan Island, and Omadal Island), side jobs, and total side income of respondents.In the side job category, there are several types of jobs done by respondents in each study location.On Mabul Island, there are four respondents who are small traders, eight respondents who sell seafood (fish, shrimp, etc.), six respondents who sell food and confectionery, and two respondents with other jobs.On Larapan Island, there are 10 respondents who are boat drivers, six who are tourist guides, and two who have other jobs.In Omadal Island, there are six respondents who are small traders, two respondents who sell seafood, two respondents who are carpenters, and two respondents with other jobs.In addition, this table also records the respondent's estimated side income.In the side income category, there is variation in the number of respondents in each study location.In Mabul Island, 16 respondents have a side income of less than RM500, two respondents have a side income of RM1501 and above, and two respondents have no side income.On Larapan Island, 18 respondents have a side income of less than RM500, and two respondents have a side income of RM501-RM1000.In Omadal Island, 10 respondents have a side income below RM500, eight respondents have a side income of RM501-RM1000, and two respondents have a side income of RM1001-RM1500.
Table 2 provides an overview of the variation of side jobs done by respondents in each study location, as well as the relationship between side jobs and the amount of side income.This finding clearly shows that there are local communities that indirectly carry outside jobs in the tourism sector such as boat drivers, small traders, tour guides and so on.Cross-analysis like this helps in understanding the relationship between those factors in the socio-economic context of the indigenous people in the islands around Semporna.In the context of employment and income in the tourism sector, Table 3 shows that the average respondent chose an item of high interest (mean=4.93) in the field of employment.They also think that jobs in the tourism sector can meet the needs of family expenses (mean=4.33)and help them in making enough savings (mean=4.20).The majority of respondents also chose the encouragement factor from their friends to get involved in the tourism sector (mean=4.60)and thought that this sector provides a good income to economic resources (mean=4.50).In conclusion, the respondents that the respondents are very interested in jobs related to the tourism sector.The employment opportunities in the tourism sector have proven to be effective in attracting and fulfilling the economic requirements of the respondents.Consequently, these findings can be utilized to develop strategies aimed at promoting and advancing the tourism sector in the islands.Additionally, they provide valuable insights into the community's perception of the tourism industry, facilitating a better understanding of their perspectives.

Social impact
According to Table 4, respondents strongly agree that tourism activities on the island are managed by the local community (mean = 4.78), which promotes the uniqueness of the place.They also agree that tourism development empowers women (mean = 4.43) and fosters cooperation between community members (mean = 4.65).These findings emphasize the positive perception of community-led tourism, women's involvement, and cultural preservation through tourism.The insights from this statement can inform stakeholders in developing strategies that meet the community's needs and expectations.Table 4. Benefits of community involvement and tourism development on the island.

Statements
Mean Score Tourism activities on the island are managed and carried out by the community members themselves.

High
The development of tourism on the island can empower women's involvement.

High
Tourism development on the island contributes to cooperation between community members.

High
The development of tourism on the island can preserve and conserve ethnic culture.

High
The development of tourism on the island can commercialize ethnic food.4.70 High The development of tourism on the island can commercialize ethnic handicrafts.

High
In addition, respondents also agreed that tourism development on the island can commercialize ethnic food with an average value of (mean = 4.70).A high score indicates that respondents are confident that through tourism they can commercialize their ethnic food.Therefore, by marketing ethnic food as a tourism product can present a unique gastronomic experience and at the same time, community members can benefit economically from the increased demand for ethnic-based food.
Furthermore, respondents acknowledged the potential for commercializing ethnic handicrafts through tourism development on the island (mean = 4.48).They recognized that traditional ethnic handicrafts could generate income for the community when marketed and sold to tourists.This aligns with the idea of preserving and conserving local wisdom while simultaneously benefiting economically from the sale of unique traditional handicraft products.

Conclusion
The development of tourism in the Semporna district, particularly on islands like Mabul, Omadal, and Larapan, has a significant impact on the indigenous people.The impact of tourism can be observed in various aspects such as socioeconomics, poverty reduction, income generation, job opportunities, culture preservation, women empowerment, and environmental sustainability.
From a socio-economic perspective, tourism development brings positive benefits to rural communities on the islands.It increases the income of residents through various job opportunities in the tourism sector, enabling them to improve their standard of living and meet basic needs.
Additionally, tourism plays a vital role in preserving the ethnic culture of the community.It facilitates the commercialization and revitalization of cultural heritage, including ethnic food, local handicrafts, and traditional dances.This not only preserves local wisdom but also promotes cultural heritage to both domestic and international tourists.However, to fully maximize the positive effects of tourism, effective measures need to be implemented.These measures may include training and skills development programs, community empowerment initiatives, and sustainable resource management practices.Such actions ensure that the benefits of tourism are inclusive and can help alleviate poverty within the community.

Figure 1 .
Figure 1.Map of Research area

Table 1 .
Demographic profile of respondents

Table 2 .
Cross-tabulation of study locations, side jobs and total side income

Table 3 .
Involvement factors in the field of tourism employment