摘要：Tourism development in ethnic minority communities can generate both benefits and disruptions, yet the management of negative social impacts remains underexplored. This paper uses the Social License to Operate (SLO) framework to understand social outcomes of tourism projects, taking the Yotkan Ancient City, China, as a case study. Drawing on Thomson and Boutilier's (2011) model, we evaluate three SLO dimensions (legitimacy, credibility, and trust) through semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and field observations. The results show that the developer has achieved legitimacy, in terms of improved sanitation, roads, and local employment, but lacks credibility due to inconsistent information, rigid compensation, and insufficient consideration of local tradition. Trust, particularly among vulnerable groups, remains unestablished. The community's overall SLO level currently resides between acceptance and approval. Although tourism development has visibly improved the living conditions of the local community, critical local values, needs, and expectations remain insufficiently addressed. Rather than tailor planning to local cultural dynamics, the development approach relied on standard regional templates, resulting in a misalignment with traditional Ayiwang architectural features, daily living habits, and the distinct needs of vulnerable groups such as seniors and women. Furthermore, impact history is found to be a critical but under-theorized factor shaping trust. By extending the SLO framework from extractive industries to socially friendly ethnic tourism in a non-Western, state-led context, this paper offers actionable strategies for equitable benefit-sharing, culturally respectful design, and inclusive governance.

关键词：Social license to operate;Social impact assessment;Ethnic tourism community;Community engagement;Social risk management;Tourism development

原文载于：https://webofscience.clarivate.cn/wos/woscc/full-record/WOS:001851763800001