Integration of Community-Based Tourism (CBT) Index and Biophysical Assessment for Sustainable Ecotourism Mangrove: A Case Study of Karangsong, Indonesia

Marine ecotourism is one of the pivotal sectors that supports the sustainability of marine ecosystems and elevates the socioeconomic status of the country. Karangsong is located on the northern side of the Indramayu districts, covering approximately 25 hectares of mangrove. The significant number of tourists visiting sites of mangrove ecotourism in Indonesia contributed to the tourist intentions associated with the diversity of mangrove and management strategies. How the community-based tourism (CBT) index aligns with biophysical assessment is still unclear. This study aimed to investigate the interconnectedness between the community-based tourism (CBT) index and biophysical assessment to measure the ratio number of tourists using the carrying capacity and sustainability index in Karangsong. A potential new suitability index for mangrove tourism was created. The various factors such as the mangrove ecosystem, substrate, and suitability that impacted the development of mangrove tourism were quantitatively analyzed. Our study identified that the majority of mangrove ecotourism sites in Karangsong Indramayu Regency consist of rich diverse mangrove species. The biophysical characteristics of the mangrove ecosystem were assessed with a suitability index of 83.7%. Our results indicated that the operations of mangrove tourism in the Karangsong region are well-managed and maintained. The region has a carrying capacity of 803 people/day, which refers to the maximum number of individuals for this area. This finding provides a more detailed understanding of the contribution of the new sustainability index of mangrove tourism and community-based tourism (CBT) approach assessing the potential development and challenges in the management of mangrove forests ecotourism.