Ecotourism hazards governance in disaster-prone area of Gunung Rinjani National Park

Abstract

Hazards management is essential in enhancing visitor safety assurance. Gunung Rinjani National Park is strongly associated with a variety of physical, and biological hazards. In an effort to become a world-class hiking trail, various stakeholders have shown increased engagement, yet, their coordination, collaboration and cooperation still need to be explored. Findings were derived from in-depth interviews and Focus Group Discussions with key stakeholders that were directly involved in managing disaster comprising of public, private and third sector hazard-related institutions, including local tourism actors to map their role and interrelationship. The findings revealed that hazard management has been considered in GRNP management. As many as 35 stakeholders have contributed to the risk management of Gunung Rinjani National Park. While all stakeholders were aware of the potential hazards, risk awareness varied. Weak integration mechanisms have been identified among stakeholders, with the principal underlying cause the lack of a coordinated Standard Operating Procedure. Most stakeholders acted only in accordance with their institutional SOPs as response phase was the most commonly observed actions. In addition, implementation of training has often proved to be non-sustainable. This research concluded that each stakeholder be responsible and transparent to ensure collaborative ecotourism hazards mitigation and risk reduction measures.