MANGROVE BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATIONS: FOUNDATION TOWARD ECOTOURISM IMPLEMENTATION IN BINTAN ISLAND, INDONESIA

Tourism is one of the rapid development sectors on small islands that are abundant with natural resources. However, tourism development is a potential threat and may deplete environmental resources. This paper aims to describe the recent tourism development in Bintan Regency, Indonesia, one of the small islands abundant with mangrove resources. Data were collected on Bintan Island through visitation and observation. The mangrove ecosystem document and the potential impact of tourism development on the mangrove ecosystem were empirically reviewed. Studies confirm that tourism is recently growing in Bintan and significantly contributes to and supports local development. The mangrove ecosystem has abundant resources that are crucial for sustainable tourism development programmes on Bintan Island. Some strategic approaches exist to enhance the link between mangrove conservation and tourism on Bintan Island, including mangrove biodiversity conservation, ecolodge development, nature-based tourism programme development, and community participation in mangrove-based tourism. With a proper management approach, mangroves are a potential resource to attract tourists and promote sustainable tourism development on small islands.