DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY OF MARINE TOURISM POTENTIAL OF MERAK KECIL ISLAND, PULOMERAK SUB-DISTRICT, CILEGON CITY, BANTEN PROVINCE OLEH BANGGA PRAMESWARA NIM. 28821002 STUDY PROGRAM OF MAGISTER IN TOURISM PLANNING

• Main Author: Prameswara, Bangga
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/77605
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Pulau Merak Kecil is an uninhabited island that serves as a tourist attraction in the marine area of Cilegon City. Pulau Merak Kecil offers natural beauty and underwater ecosystems, along with tourism facilities that enable tourists to engage in various activities. However, Pulau Merak Kecil has limited tourism facilities and lacks support from the local government for its management and development. This study aims to formulate a strategic plan for the development of marine tourism in Pulau Merak Kecil. The analysis method used is SWOT analysis. Primary data for this study were obtained through interviews with stakeholders and field observations, while secondary data were collected from relevant official documents and publications. The research process involved analyzing the tourism potential of Pulau Merak Kecil as a tourist attraction using scoring and weighting, followed by an analysis of the internal and external factors of Pulau Merak Kecil. Subsequently, a SWOT analysis was conducted to determine the strategy for the development of maritime tourism. The research results indicate that the potential of Pulau Merak Kecil consists of natural physical potential, artificial physical potential, and non-physical cultural potential. The natural physical potential includes coral reefs, coral fish, white sand, and forests. The artificial physical potential includes docks, boats, canoes, and iconic boards. Meanwhile, the non-physical cultural potential includes the hospitality of the local residents and their livelihoods. Internal strengths affecting the island are gentle beaches, white sand, fish and coral reefs, and unique island morphology. On the other hand, the weaknesses include a lack of supporting tourism facilities, regulations for tourists, accessibility to the island, and public awareness. External factors in terms of opportunities include the increasing demand for tourism, strategic location, investor interest, and the trending back-to- nature lifestyle. The threats include illegal fishing, lack of attention from the local government, overcarrying capacity, industrial activities around the island, and the risk of tsunamis. The SWOT analysis resulted in the formulation of development strategies suitable for Quadrant I, which is growth-oriented, with the aim of achieving tourism growth.