The potential of community-based ecotourism development with an ecosystem service approach: a case study of Kaliwlingi Village, Brebes, Indonesia

Mangrove Sari Tourism Village is an ecotourism community located in Brebes Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. The establishment of this tourist village originated from the collective effort of the Pandansari Hamlet community to combat coastal erosion by planting mangrove, eventually transforming the area into the tourist destination. The objective of this study was to assess the capacity of the local community in developing community-based ecotourism and leveraging the ecosystem services of the mangrove forest. To achieve this objective, a qualitative descriptive method was employed, encompassing various research techniques such as observation, semi-structured interviews, documentation, and literature review. The study’s finding revealed the following key point: (1) The local community exhibited significant potential (with a score of 34) for the development of Mangrove Sari ecotourism, as assessed based on the parameters of attractions, activities, accessibility, and amenities. (2) The resident of Kaliwlingi Village has actively embraced the concept of community-based ecotourism in managing Mangrove Sari, emphasizing the involvement and participation of the local community. (3) The existence of the mangrove forest ecosystem in Pandansari Hamlet has provided both physical and social environmental services to the community, falling into four categories: service provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services.