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Education, investment among challenges to develop ecotourism
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A seascape is seen off Belitung Island in Bangka-Belitung Islands province. (Shutterstock/File)
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ducating local communities and visitors on how to best benefit from tourist attractions without harming the environment is a key part of ecotourism, a presidential staff member said on Wednesday.
"As the main player in ecotourism, local communities must have all the necessary information and comprehension of tourism outcomes," Yanuar Nugroho from the presidential office said on the sidelines of the two-day Ecotourism: Globalizing Local Communities without Impacting the Environment event that runs until Thursday.
Yanuar cited the example of tourists who reportedly stepped on flowers while taking selfies at Baturraden Botanical Park in Banyumas, Central Java, in December last year, which went viral on social media following harsh criticism from netizens.
Meanwhile, the people of Bangka Island, which serves as a mining area, have come together to preserve the strategic tourist destination. As mining has damaged coral reefs, said Yanuar, over 20,000 people from the Save Bangka Island community were campaigning to stop mining activities by taking photos of underwater damage and sharing them online.
(Read also: Developing Nyambu Village into an ecotourism destination)
Attracting investors to help boost ecotourism in the country also posed a challenge, said Yanuar, as it was a long-term investment, not an instant one. “Economists said that tourism is not only an alternative for the state’s income but could also be the backbone.”
Some 10.4 million foreign tourists visited Indonesia last year, contributing Rp 144 trillion (US$11.124 billion) in income, a small increase from Rp 133.9 trillion in 2014.
Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) executive director Philips Vermonte said the government and local administrations needed to find the best way to promote local culture and preserve it. “Promoting tourism is not only the Tourism Ministry's duty; local communities can also help out. Netizens actually have a big role in the matter as they can easily upload pictures on social media when they travel [across the archipelago],” said Vermonte. (wnd/kes)
