Determining local people's perception of tourism: The case of Foumban destination in Cameroon

The aim of this research is to examine the perceptions of the local population in Foumban, a significant cultural tourism destination in Cameroon, towards tourism, based on their demographic characteristics. Tourism is considered one of the important sectors supporting economic, social, and cultural development today. However, the development of tourism can have both positive and negative effects on the local population. Therefore, determining the attitudes and perceptions of the local population towards tourism is of great importance for sustainable tourism development. A quantitative research method was used in the study. Data were obtained from the local population living in Foumban through a survey technique. The survey included questions aimed at measuring the economic, social, cultural, environmental, and overall impacts of tourism, based on the opinions of local people. The data obtained from the research were evaluated using statistical analysis methods. The research findings show that the local population generally evaluates the economic impacts of tourism positively. Participants believe that tourism creates employment and stimulates local trade in Foumban. However, some participants believe that tourism increases the cost of living in Foumban and leads to environmental problems and socio-cultural changes. This study is significant because it is one of the limited number of studies examining local perceptions of tourism in Foumban. The findings are expected to contribute to the development of more sustainable and inclusive tourism policies for local administrators and tourism stakeholders.