Factors driving community engagement through social capital formation - focusing on community-based eco-tourism in Dongbaek Village, Jeju, Korea

This study explores the place attachment between natural resources and community, which has been enhanced through eco-tourism, by identifying community governance's role in conserving and using natural resources. Community participation is paramount in community-based eco-tourism. Thus, the factors promoting the sustainability of local participation were studied. Local governance in Dongbaek Dongsan, which was accredited as the Ramsar Wetland City for the first time in the world, Jeju, was used as a case study, and in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted. The roundtable, akin to the town meeting in the US, enhanced residents' satisfaction and induced a continuous contribution to the village project. Social capital formed through governance boosted the sense of place for the elderly and created the same for migrants and youngsters.