Urban development pressure towards challenges in ensuring sustainable tourism development

Rapid development of tourism has created major challenges in planning and managing the environment. This is due to the need to provide attractive tourism sites and supporting products such as accommodations and transportation networks as well as protecting the environment. This study used GIS to map and measure land use transformation from 1970s to 2000s and examine areas that are likely to experience urban development pressure. Zoning strategies such as by containing urban built-up areas within existing urban areas and promoting sustainable tourism development within Langkawi have succeeded in controlling expansion of built-up areas.