Strategic approaches in manta ray tourism management

Manta ray tourism has both positive and negative impacts. Therefore, this type of tourism should be managed appropriately, especially in protected areas. There are a number of protected areas in Indonesia which have become popular as manta ray tourism destinations. These tourism destinations are visited by thousands of tourists every year. Excessive tourist numbers with uncontrolled behaviour can potentially impact the species. This study was conducted to examine effective management strategies to mitigate overtourism in manta ray tourism at three sites: Komodo, Nusa Penida, and Raja Ampat. The target respondents included 73 relevant stakeholders. This descriptive research conducted during 2017-2018 involved the collection of quantitative information and utilised questionnaires. The results identified seven existing approaches to effective management of manta ray tourism in order to mitigate overtourism in the study areas. Key recommendations to improve mitigation are highlighted.