Hypothetical effects assessment of tourism on coastal water quality in the Marine Tourism Park of the Gili Matra Islands, Indonesia

Abstract

Tourism is one of the most important issues facing marine protected areas (MPAs) and small islands worldwide. Tourism development is considered a contribution to pollution levels in the environment. This paper aims to evaluate the hypothetical effects of tourism development on water quality spatially and temporally using the coastal water quality index (CWQI) and Geographic Information System (GIS) in search of improved management for marine conservation areas. This study showed significant tourism influences on the CWQI in the Marine Tourism Park of the Gili Matra Islands, Lombok, Indonesia. Water quality variability indicates a significant spatiotemporal difference ( p < 0.05) in the two tourism seasons. During the peak season of tourism, the CWQI decreased to poor conditions, i.e., ranging from 9.95 to 21.49 for marine biota and from 7.98 to 30.42 for marine tourism activities in 2013, and ranging from 39.52 to 44.42 for marine biota and from 44.13 to 47.28 for marine tourism activities, which were below the standard for both marine biota and marine tourism activities. On the contrary, it showed a better level (from poor to moderate) during the low season of tourism (ranging from 41.92 to 61.84 for marine biota and from 48.06 to 65.27 for marine tourism activities in 2014), providing a more acceptable condition for both aspects. The study proved that massive tourism development in the MPA and small islands could reduce water quality and increase vulnerability. Accordingly, integrated tourism management and the environment, waters, and land will be needed to develop sustainable tourism. The CWQI and GIS were applicable to assess water quality, both spatially and temporally, and become a quick reference in monitoring and initial evaluation of impact management.

Opportunities and Challenges in Development Community-Based Marine Ecotourism on Samalona Island, Makassar City

“…These tourism-generating factors, especially culture and nature, might be preserved by implementing the ecotourism idea. There are worries over the environmental implications of tourism on marine ecosystems and the sustainable development of coastal areas because an area's appeal directly correlates with the number of tourists it attracts, potentially compromising the overall quality of the experience (Queiroz et al, 2014;Kurniawan et al, 2022).…”

“…The impact of tourism describes the condition after the development of tourism activities in a destination (see Osman et al, 2018;Queiroz et al, 2014;Kurniawan et al, 2022). Ecotourism, as one of the concepts in alternative tourism, ensures that positive impacts of tourism development can be maximized with the community's involvement, which is a strategic issue in tourism development (Spenceley, 2017;Wiltshire et al, 2022).…”

Assessment of Stakeholder’s Perceptions of the Value of Coral Reef Ecosystem Services: The Case of Gili Matra Marine Tourism Park

“…However, marine tourism activities make up the major service in the GMMTP waters. During peak season, tourists can number up to 61,000 per month [11,43,44]. Underwater tourism, such as snorkelling and scuba diving, was concentrated in 26 areas characterised by good coral cover, fish biomass, and exotic marine fauna [11].…”

“…Given that environment's aesthetic appeal usually drives these types of underwater excursions, it does not generate extensive pressure on the supporting and regulating services of the coral reef. However, the issue arises from the scale on which the activities were conducted over a long period of time [11,43,44].…”

Change in Reef Fish Assemblages along Depth Gradient at Gili Rakit and Gili Lipan Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

“…A significant increase in population in Indonesia, in line with anthropogenic pressure escalation from the mainland on coastal ecosystems, threatens the resilience of coastal ecosystem services to humans [1][2][3]. As before, Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) became essential tools for managing and preserving coastal ecosystem biodiversity [4].…”