Mangrove Resource and Ecotourism Development in Karangsong, Indramayu Regency, West Java, Indonesia

Abstract

Karangsong ecotourism is one of the mangrove forests successfully conserved through the co-management of the government and local communities. The rehabilitation process which started in 2008 has positively impacted the environment, especially aquaculture. Mangrove forest conservation managed by the Pantai Lestari Group has opened opportunities in the ecotourism sector that attracts over 50,000 visitors yearly, thereby significantly impacting the area’s social and economic impacts. However, there are negative impacts associated with the development of mangrove conservation areas into tourist sites, especially the balance between economic and conservation aspects. Therefore, descriptive analysis was used to determine the overview of Karangsong mangrove resources, background tourism status, highlight community, and institutions’ involvement. SWOT analysis is used to describe the potential and challenges of its ecotourism management. The result showed that support is needed from other stakeholders who care about the sustainability of the mangrove ecosystem by prioritizing aspects of environmental carrying capacity for conservation area management. It is necessary to conduct further research as a support for sustainable ecotourism and determine the right ecotourism development strategy for the future based on the identification of the potential of Karangsong natural resources.