1. Community-based marine ecotourism: Indonesia Sea Conservation’s
alternate
“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.”
Mahatma Gandhi
Being surrounded by Pacific oceans and Indian Oceans, Indonesia’s marine is has 5.6
million km2 in its wide with 81.000 km of coastal line.1 It has a lot of potential, especially
in its seas fishery and coral reefs
Unfortunately, Indonesia seas are in danger. Just like another third world country, seas
conservation seems not becoming government’s priority yet. Even though Indonesia
already has several law that regulate sea conservation but the implementation are far from
the expectation.
In status quo, at least 340.000 ton of tailing is being thrown by 2 biggest foreign
companies and contaminates the seas in Papua and West Nusa Tenggara per day. Not
only that. Indonesia’s marine also contaminated by 80 million liters of ship’s lubricating
oil per year.2
Civilians also take part in sea ecosystem destruction. In fisheries sector, many of
traditional fishermen doing illegal fishing by using bomb, poison (nickel, tin, pesticide,
mercury) and other dangerous sea tools. In waste issue, since the end of the World War
II, it’s approximated that 80% of plastic wastes are accumulated in sea as solid waste that
imbalance the sea ecosystem.(Indonesia Marine Institute,2011)
Why Sea conservation awareness is lacking in Indonesia?
Economy is still becoming the main reason of the indifference. Government still believes
that seas conservation is much less lucrative that industry sector, that’s why they let
factories throw its waste to the seas carelessly.

2. Besides that, most of the local people in the coastal area are living in the poverty line.
Because it still hard for them to fulfill the basic need, the awareness of sea importance
becoming their least priorities.
To solve this problem, we have to find a way so that economy and environment could
walk hand in hand in creating a sustainable environment. Marine ecotourism can be one
of the best solutions
Community-based marine ecotourism
The Ecotourism Society defines ecotourism as “a responsible travel to natural areas
which conserves the environment and improves the welfare of local people”(Western,
1993)
From economy perspective, Marine ecotourism is a lucrative market. According to UN
report, 80% of the global tourism happens within a 60 km radius of coastal areas and
employing more than 10% of the global work force.
In order to give the local community the sense of seas belonging, marine ecotourism
should be made based on community, so it can give direct economic benefit towards local
people.
Community-based marine ecotourism should implicate those concepts3:
1. Society should create a team to manage ecotourism activities in their territories
2. Local ownership of ecotourism facilities principle should be implemented as much as
possible
3. Tourist Guide should come from local people, to embrace community involvement
value
4. All of the process of establishment, management, conservation and cost finding
should becoming society’s responsibility

3. In Indonesia, ecotourism activities have been starting since 1993. Despite of its potential,
actually the development of Indonesia’s ecotourism is still lacking compared to another
country. Tourism sector still only supporting 5% of Indonesia’s GDP 4, compared with
another topic country like Brazil (7.8%) 5 and Costa Rica (67%).6 That shows fact that
ecotourism’s current system is not enough to empower local people.
Indonesia still needs to develop its ecotourism potential to be as lucrative as possible, so
that people in coastal area can realize the importance of the seas conservation
In order to attract tourists from any countries, Indonesia should improve their coastal
area’s facility and accesbility7. Government should empower local people to improve
their business. For example, government can give business loan for local businessman in
coastal area, this loan can help their business to develop and attract more tourists.
Government also needs to implement a unique marketing strategy in international level.
A potential market is the USA, where 43 million people are ready for ecotours
(Sudarto,1999)
In 1993 US$950 billion was earned from tourism in the Pacific-Asia region alone and
10% of that came from ecotourism activities. Since Indonesia is so rich in biodiversity
and culture it is safe to assume that this country could get 10% of this amount. If this
were to happen Indonesia would get US$950 million from the ecotourism sub-sector
That should be enough incentive for government to prioritize the sea conservation law
and for the local people to realize the philosophy of sustainable development

4. Reference
1. www.dkp.go.id
2. http://cintailautindonesia.blogspot.com/2009/07/laut-dapat-menyerap-karbon-dioksida-
co2.html
3. WWF Indonesia, (2009), Prinsip dan Kriteria Ekowisata Berbasis Masyarakat
4. Minister of Culture and Tourism: Statistics 2006,
5. Research released by David Scowsill, President & CEO, World Travel & Tourism
Council (WTTC) at Fórum Panrotas,
6. http://www.state.gov/p/wha/ci/cs/
7. Amanda, Meita,(2009), Analisis Dampak Ekonomi Wisata Bahari Terhadap Pendapatan
Masyarakat Lokal Studi Kasus Pantai Bandulu Kabupaten Serang Provinsi Banten
8. http://www.apo-toyko.org/gp/e_publi/gplinkeco/12chapter10.pdf