Economic empowerment

Pro-Poor Tourism (PPT) shifts the focus of tourism development by centering poverty alleviation within inclusive growth, empowerment, and sustainability, aiming to generate economic opportunities, enhancing skills, and uplifting marginalized communities, particularly in rural and underserved areas. This study evaluates PPT's effectiveness using a mixed-methods approach, combining a literature review with empirical data collected from Ameri neighborhood in Ahwaz city, Iran. Drawing on global PPT frameworks, the research identifies and assesses four key criteria: Economic Benefits, Social/Governance, Social/ Cultural, and Environmental Sustainability. Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), Technical experts prioritized Economic Benefits as the most critical criterion, emphasizing on Income Generation and Employment Opportunities. This aligns with literature highlighting economic empowerment’s role in poverty alleviation. However, local community responses indicated only moderate alignment with expert priorities, suggesting a potential gap between expert models and community needs. In contrast, local residents prioritized Governance Structures and Stakeholder Engagement, indicating the importance of participatory governance. They also rated Sustainable Resource Use and Eco-Friendly Practices highly, although receiving less emphasis from experts. Notable discrepancies emerged in perceptions regarding Community Well-Being, Social Equity, and Cultural Preservation, with significant variation among local responses, indicating uncertainty or dissatisfaction in these aspects. The findings supports a multidimensional PPT approach that balances economic gains with inclusive governance, cultural values, and environmental stewardship. By aligning expert insights with local realities, this study provides practical guidance for achieving equitable and sustainable tourism development, especially in ecologically and culturally sensitive regions like Ameri.