Towards a common goal for a sustainable tourism destination: Case study of Biak Numfor, Papua, Indonesia

Abstract

This paper examines stakeholders' perceptions of sustainability in Biak Numfor, Papua, Indonesia. The study reviews opinions of site-specific sustainability aspects and assesses their perceptions of sustainability against a common goal of the Global Sustainability Tourism Council (GSTC). Meanwhile, a tourism destination is aware and takes full account of sustainability tourism for its current and future thinking towards economic, social and environmental impact, the industry, the environment and host community, and addressing visitor needs. However, few structures of the criteria towards a common goal for GSTC destination criteria are still undermined. Qualitative research is carried out by performing a stakeholders' Focus Group Discussion (FGD) in Biak Numfor, Papua. Systematic approaches and thematic analysis are conducted to reveal the four critical awareness of sustainability issues. In the long course, this awareness may lead to changes in tourism sustainable development preferences such as accessibility, infrastructures and destination management, and planning (destination promotion; inspirational leaders; and community awareness).