Governing Dynamics in Marine Conservation Tourism in Raja Ampat, Indonesia

Abstract

This paper examines how governance arrangements for marine conservation tourism in the new regency of Raja Ampat, Indonesia, have evolved as a result of Indonesia's decentralization policy and what role NGOs have played in this process. The analysis shows that over a period of two decades NGOs have played a major co-governance role by informing and mobilizing local communities, by establishing and managing marine protected areas, as well as by supporting the technical and financial capacity of the newly established regional government of Raja Ampat. Over time a patchwork of non-state governance and open co-governance arrangements in marine conservation tourism transformed into more integrated closed co-governance arrangements, in which state authority became more important. NGOs, however, continue to play a pivotal role in marine conservation tourism governance arrangements, even now that a recentralization in Indonesia's marine conservation governance is likely to take place.