Carriying capacity of small island for tourism development

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the carrying capacity of the environment on small islands to develop marine tourism. Research carried out in the Thousand Islands Indonesia includes Bidadari Island, Untung Jawa, Pramuka, Karya, Ayer Besar, Rambut, Cipir, Moringa, and Onrust. The methodology used in this study is the environmental carrying capacity class. The carrying capacity of the beach to receive tourists on Bidadari Island, Untung Jawa, Pramuka, Karya, Ayer Besar, Rambut, Cipir, Moringa, and Onrust, are as follows: 50, 40, 40, 30, 30, 30, 30, 26, 26 and 10 tourists per day for low class. Tourists who visit have already exceeded the carrying capacity of the environment while on vacation on the island of Untung Jawa, Pramuka, Bidadari, Ayer Besar, and Onrust; there are 60-200 tourists. The island’s carrying capacity for accommodation is 11,200, 5,166, 7,700, 28,070, 4,221, 4,550, 8,400, 1,120, 1,400 and 14,000 beds for each island on Pramuka Island, Karya, Panggang, Untung Jawa, Bidadari, Ayer Besar, Onrust, Cipir, Kelor, and Rambut. While the environment carrying capacity for diving activities is between 5000-6000 divers, the interview results found out that, in reality, 9600 divers do diving activities around Pramuka Island’s waters. The government should limit the number of visitors according to the allotment of the island; for example, for Rambut island tourism development should be closed because it is a conservation area. For housing islands such as in Java Untung Island, Pramuka island should limit the tourism development, while for Angel Island and Big Ayer, tourism development committed intensively.