Social Values Analysis Toward Ecotourism Development in The Kei Islands

Abstract

The application of carrying capacity has the potential to protect tourist areas, both natural and cultural, and is related to the local community lifestyle and the potential of tourist destinations. The condition of the people of the Kei Islands who are still experiencing conflicts of interest in several areas leads to an unplanned development that is not according to plan or can even change or destroys the character of natural and cultural resources. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the condition of social values ​​related to the current social carrying capacity and the past 10 years. A total of 600 people from 10 community groups were involved and the primary. Primary data were obtained through filling out of a list of questions by respondents using a closed-ended questionnaire by applying the “one score one indicator scoring system”. The data were analyzed was carried out in a quantitative descriptive manner based on the average value of each indicator. A paired t-test was conducted to determine the difference between the current and the condition 10 years ago. The results showed that the local community's response to tourism development activities under both now and 10 years ago felt positive and negative impacts. The social situations that produce positive impacts were conducive situations, associations, cooperative situations, and productive collaborations, while the negative ones were dissociation, conflict, and war. This showed that communication and economic aspects must be the attention of the parties to reduce conflicts of interest and enhance the development of ecotourism in the Kei Islands.