Tourism and Poverty Alleviation: A Critical Review of Models, Multidimensional Impacts, and Inclusive Development Pathways

This review explores tourism’s role in poverty alleviation in developing countries through a systematic analysis of 70 studies published between 2000 and 2024. It evaluates key models such as Pro-Poor Tourism (PPT), Community-Based Tourism (CBT), and emerging forms like slum and enclave tourism. While PPT and CBT promote local participation and income generation, their effectiveness is constrained by economic leakage, weak governance, and limited access to capital. A significant share of tourism revenue often benefits foreign-owned enterprises, reducing local economic impact and exacerbating inequality. The review highlights environmental and social challenges, including labor informality, gender disparities, and displacement. A conceptual framework is proposed linking tourism value chains, decent work, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability. The study calls for inclusive policies and context-sensitive strategies to ensure tourism contributes meaningfully to poverty reduction and sustainable development.