Marine Tourism in The Gili Islands: A Challenge in Implementing Sustainable Tourism

Abstract

In coastal areas, marine tourism is one sector with great potential to drive economic growth. One of the destinations experiencing rapid development in this sector is the Gili Islands, North Lombok. However, in the midst of the rapid development of tourism in the Gili Islands, there are various challenges related to environmental, social, and economic sustainability. The beauty of the underwater world, coral reef ecosystems, and rich marine biodiversity are the main attractions for domestic and foreign tourists. The study aims to discover the challenges in implementing sustainable marine tourism in the Gili Islands. The study was conducted in the Gili Islands, North Lombok. The study employed a qualitative descriptive method. The questionnaire was distributed to business actors of marine tourism in the Gili Islands. The question form is an open question. The questionnaire was shared online. After gathering the data, the researcher analyses the data and describes the results descriptively. The study found that implementing sustainable marine tourism in the Gili Islands confronts serious problems encompassing a lack of supervision, a lack of resources, a lack of collaboration between stakeholders, and a lack of sustainable education initiatives. The stakeholders should consider those aspects in implementing sustainable tourism in the Gili Islands. It is hoped that the research results can contribute to the development of sustainable tourism management models in the islands and become a reference for stakeholders in formulating more effective and inclusive policy strategies.