Rifai, Husen, Lukman, Kevin Muhamad, Quevedo, Jay Mar D., Francis, Prue, Sjafrie, Nurul Dhewani M., Triyono, McKenzie, Len, Hidayat, Rahman, Nugraha, Aditya Hikmat, Kuriandewa, Tri Edi, Suryawati, Siti Hajar, Prayudha, Bayu, Suraji, Suraji, Risandi, Johan, and Hernawan, Udhi Eko (2024) Understanding stakeholders' perception on developing seagrass-associated tourism: Evidence from marine protected areas of Bintan Island, Indonesia. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 209. 117063.

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Abstract

Seagrass ecosystems provide vital services but face increasing threats from human activities. Marine protected areas (MPAs) aim to mitigate these threats, but inadequate funding and management hinder effective conservation. Seagrass-associated tourism presents an opportunity to fund conservation efforts, enhance MPA implementation, and improve local livelihoods. This study explores stakeholder perceptions of seagrass benefits, tourism feasibility, and threats on Bintan Island, Indonesia, using quantitative (349 household surveys) and qualitative (focus group discussion with 15 participants) methods. Our findings show strong stakeholder support for seagrass-associated tourism, but challenges such as ongoing anthropogenic threats and governance shifts in MPA management remain to be addressed. For successful seagrass-based tourism and better conservation, ongoing engagement with local communities and stakeholders is crucial. This approach not only secures conservation funding but also fosters local ownership and stewardship. The study emphasizes understanding stakeholder perceptions to develop a sustainable tourism sector and ensure more effective, inclusive management strategies.

Item ID:	85201
Item Type:	Article (Research - C1)
ISSN:	1879-3363
Copyright Information:	© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ).
Date Deposited:	23 Apr 2025 00:54
FoR Codes:	41 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES > 4104 Environmental management > 410404 Environmental management @ 100%
SEO Codes:	28 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 2801 Expanding knowledge > 280111 Expanding knowledge in the environmental sciences @ 100%
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