The Role of Ecotourism in Empowering the Local Community Economy in Riau Province: A Case Study in the Bukit Tiga Puluh National Park Area
Abstract
Ecotourism as a form of nature-based tourism has the potential to provide significant economic benefits to local communities, while supporting the conservation of natural resources. Bukit Tiga Puluh National Park in Riau Province, with its abundant biodiversity, offers great potential in ecotourism development that can improve the welfare of local communities. This study aims to analyze the role of ecotourism in empowering the economy of local communities around the Bukit Tiga Puluh National Park (TNBT) area, Riau Province. As a form of sustainable tourism, ecotourism is expected to improve community welfare through job creation, increased income, and environmental conservation. This study uses a qualitative approach with a case study design involving in-depth interviews and observations of local communities, ecotourism managers, and tourists. The results show that ecotourism has had a positive impact on the community's economy, especially through the accommodation, tour guides, and handicraft production sectors. Communities that previously relied on subsistence agriculture now have new opportunities in the tourism sector, although challenges related to limited managerial skills and sustainable natural resource management still exist. Local governments and conservation institutions play an important role in supporting ecotourism development, but more integrated policies and more intensive training are needed to optimize the potential of ecotourism as a driver of community economic empowerment. This study concludes that ecotourism in TNBT can be a model for sustainable conservation-based economic empowerment with better management and active involvement of local communities.
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