Management strategy for marine tourism in Bunaken National Park North Sulawesi Province

Abstract

Bunaken National Park is well-known as one of the special interest tourist destinations with diving activities as its main attraction. Bunaken National Park is also famous for its unique underwater landscape in the form of coral reef walls. Some of the marine tourism attractions in Bunaken National Park are diving, snorkeling, underwater photography, Bottom Glass Boat (catamaran), dolphin watching, and dugong watching. In its management, Bunaken Park has several problems, such as the potential for tourist attractions that are not optimal, mass tourism, litter and the illegal capture of protected marine animals. This study aims to obtain a marine tourism management strategy and its priorities. The analysis method used is interpretative structural modeling using experts as data sources. The experts used as data sources are 2 people from academics and 1 person from the former manager of the Bunaken National Park (DPTNB). The strategies obtained are visitor management strategies, environmental quality improvement strategies and community empowerment strategies. To realize this strategy, program implementation is strengthening regulations and permits, Waste Management, Destination development, community empowerment and stakeholder cooperation.