Towards tourism sustainability. The case of Nusa Lembongan, Indonesia.

Abstract: Tourism is one of the fastest-growing economic sectors in the world. Due to that, many developing world’s regions with limited economic activity adapt tourism as a development strategy. The point of departure is a critical consideration why tourism, while producing such immense economic benefits, frequently also perpetuates already existing socio-economic, cultural, and environmental dysfunctions. This thesis explores the phenomenon of mass tourism in a small Indonesian island, Nusa Lembongan. The island of which economy is almost entirely reliant on revenues from the tourism industry. This case study undertakes a bottom-up approach to shed light on insider perspectives about the local reality and get to know alternative suggestions about tourism development on the island. By conducting semi-structured interviews, the study analyses current tourism practices on the island seen through the lenses of the residents and people involved in the tourism industry and environmental protection. The data were analyzed in light of the degrowth framework, which is believed to have the potential to supplement the local approach to sustainable tourism development. The results suggest that the most significant barrier to sustainable tourism locally is the growth-oriented approach to tourism development which prioritizes economic growth over all the other values of sustainable tourism development. The study offers locally-based insights on how to overcome the barriers to sustainability.