Promoting sustainable mangrove tourism through payments for ecosystem services: Insights from Tongke-Tongke Village, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

doi:10.1016/j.regsus.2025.100213

Abstract

Abstract:

Mangrove ecosystems support biodiversity, protect coastal areas, and provide sustainable livelihoods. However, they face significant threats from deforestation and unsustainable land use practices. This study examines the viability of the payments for ecosystem services (PES) programs in promoting sustainable mangrove tourism in Tongke-Tongke Village, Sinjai District, South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. We collected data through household surveys, semi-structured stakeholder interviews, and tourist questionnaires to evaluate the economic value of mangrove tourism and tourists’ willingness to pay (WTP) for conservation. Analytical methods included quantitative descriptive analysis, thematic analysis, travel cost analysis, and contingent valuation method. The results indicated strong community support, with 70.00% of respondents acknowledging sustainable mangrove tourism’s economic, environmental, and cultural benefits. Economic estimates revealed that mangrove tourism generated 943.00 USD/(hm²•a), while tourists’ WTP for conservation ranged from 0.21 to 0.56 USD/(person•month), contributing approximately 11.39 USD/(hm²•a). Despite challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, socioeconomic disparities, and land privatization, this study advocates for integrating the PES programs, enhancing governance frameworks, and fostering local community engagement to ensure equitable benefit distribution and maximize the potential of mangrove tourism. These strategies aim to bolster conservation efforts, improve local livelihoods, and strengthen the resilience of mangrove ecosystems.

Key words: Mangrove tourism, Payments for ecosystem services (PES), Willingness to pay (WTP), Sustainable tourism, South Sulawesi

Abdul MALIK, Muhammad Ichsan ALI, Abdul Rasyid JALIL, Abdul MANNAN, Rahma MUSYAWARAH. Promoting sustainable mangrove tourism through payments for ecosystem services: Insights from Tongke-Tongke Village, South Sulawesi, Indonesia[J]. Regional Sustainability, 2025, 6(2): 100213.

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Variable		Number of respondents	Percentage (%)
Gender	Male	96	87.27
Gender	Female	14	12.73
Age (years old)	20-30	29	26.36
	31-40	40	36.36
	41-50	23	20.91
	51-60	14	12.73
	61-70	4	3.64
Level of educational attainment	Did not complete elementary school	50	45.45
	Elementary school	37	33.64
	Junior high school	14	12.73
	Senior high school	7	6.36
	University	2	1.82
Livelihood	Fisherman	63	57.27
	Shrimp farmer	21	19.09
	Seaweed farmer	12	10.91
	Firewood collector	4	3.64
	Civil servant	3	2.73
	Businessman	7	6.36
Household income (USD/month)	49-105	52	47.27
	106-161	14	12.73
	162-217	12	10.91
	218-274	13	11.82
	275-330	9	8.18
	>331	10	9.09

Topic	Strongly disagree (%)	Disagree (%)	Neither agree nor disagree (%)	Agree (%)	Strongly agree (%)
Economic benefit	5.00	10.00	15.00	50.00	20.00
Environmental conservation	3.00	5.00	10.00	60.00	22.00
Cultural preservation	2.00	8.00	15.00	45.00	30.00
Overall satisfaction with tourism activities	3.00	5.00	10.00	50.00	32.00

Topic	Description
Economic benefit	Stakeholders emphasized the significant economic benefits of tourism development, including increased revenue generation, job creation, and business opportunities within the community.
Environmental conservation	Stakeholders demonstrated a strong commitment to environmental conservation and sustainability, with initiatives like biodiversity conservation to preserve the mangrove ecosystem.
Cultural preservation	Stakeholders recognized the cultural significance of heritage and traditions in Tongke-Tongke mangrove tourism area, highlighting the value of preserving and showcasing local culture to enhance the tourism experience.
Challenges and aspirations	Stakeholders identified various challenges, such as infrastructure limitations, socioeconomic disparities, and land privatization, and aspirations for sustainable development and inclusive growth in the tourism sector.

Tourist origin	Number of tourists	Transportation cost (USD/trip)	Consumption-related cost (USD/trip)	Parking fee (USD/trip)	Entrance ticket fee (USD/trip)	Total travel cost (USD/trip)
Sinjai District	75	106.00	211.00	26.00	53.00	396.00
Bone District	13	73.00	55.00	5.00	9.00	142.00
Bulukumba District	9	32.00	38.00	3.00	6.00	79.00
Makassar City	5	35.00	21.00	2.00	4.00	62.00
Total	102	246.00	325.00	36.00	72.00	679.00

Tourist origin	Average travel cost per person (USD/person)	Total number of tourists per year (persons/a)	Annual economic value (USD/a)	Annual economic value per area (USD/(hm²•a))
Sinjai District	5.28	3900	20,599.00	550.00
Bone District	10.92	676	7379.00	197.00
Bulukumba District	8.80	468	4120.00	110.00
Makassar City	12.32	260	3204.00	86.00
Total	37.32	5304	35,301.00	943.00