Community-Based Ecotourism (CBE) Development Strategy in the Pulau Pombo Nature Tourism Park Area, Central Maluku Regency

This research was conducted within the Pombo Island Nature Tourism Park (Taman Wisata Alam / TWA Pulau Pombo) in Central Maluku Regency. The method utilized to formulate the strategies for community-based ecotourism development was the SWOT analysis framework. The Pombo Island Nature Tourism Park serves as a marine protected area with a dual function: acting as an environmental preservation zone while concurrently providing a spatial framework to support environmental education, scientific research, and sustainable tourism development. To achieve these institutional objectives, the alternative strategic frameworks developed for the implementation of Community-Based Ecotourism (CBE) within the area encompass developing conservation-based tourism by leveraging the potential of flora, fauna, and coastal ecosystems as educational, conservation-oriented, and sustainable nature tourism attractions; empowering local communities and Pokdarwis (Tourism Awareness Groups) through the advancement of culture-based tourism and indigenous knowledge, such as the Meti Kei traditional practice, to reinforce community-based management and ecological conservation; and formulating integrated, inter-village tour packages encompassing Kailolo, Liang, Waai, Tulehu, and Pombo Island by synthesizing natural attractions, cultural heritage, traditional cuisine, and community activities to enhance destination connectivity, diversify tourism products, and extend tourists' length of stay. Furthermore, this comprehensive approach requires upgrading infrastructure, facilities, digital marketing, and community-based regular transportation services to optimize accessibility, visitor comfort, and the overall quality of tourism services en route to the area, while simultaneously strengthening community participation and institutional frameworks through inter-village cooperation forums and multi-stakeholder partnerships involving local residents, government agencies, NGOs, and park management to foster collaborative and sustainable tourism governance.