Academics assess maritime tourism can improve community welfare

A number of academics have highlighted the development of maritime tourism, which is considered to have the potential to improve community welfare. Through a seminar organised by the Doctoral Programme in Law, Faculty of Law, Universitas Kristen Indonesia (FH UKI), it is hoped that policy recommendations can be produced to support the development of the sector. “This national seminar is a strategic forum that brings together academics and government officials so that it can provide policy recommendations to encourage the development of maritime tourism,” said UKI Rector Prof. Angel Damayanti in Jakarta on Friday. The seminar, held in cooperation with the Central Executive Board of the Indonesian Maritime and Water Tourism Entrepreneurs Association (DPP GAHAWISRI), was titled “Opportunities and Challenges in Implementing Law Number 18 of 2025 on Tourism to Encourage Maritime Tourism Development”. According to Angel, higher education institutions have an important role in contributing ideas and policy recommendations for national development, including in the maritime tourism sector, which has great potential to improve community welfare. Meanwhile, Professor of Law at FH UKI, Prof. Dhaniswara K. Harjono, explained that the maritime tourism sector in Indonesia is currently governed by various regulations originating from a number of different sectors. According to him, there are at least seven main regulations that have a direct link to the management and development of maritime tourism, ranging from the Tourism Law and the Marine Law, to the Law on Management of Coastal Areas and Small Islands, the Spatial Planning Law, the Investment Law, and the Environmental Protection and Management Law. “Overlapping cross-sectoral regulations create conflicts of authority between agencies. The central government can formulate national policies and supervise the implementation of policies in maritime tourism destinations,” said Dhaniswara. A view on the importance of policy harmonisation was also conveyed by Hellen, Vice Chairperson of DPP GAHAWISRI. According to her, maritime tourism is a cross-sectoral sector, thus requiring strong coordination and collaboration among government agencies and other stakeholders. “Sustainable tourism is important to achieve a balance between economic growth, environmental conservation, and socio-cultural sustainability,” said Hellen. On the same occasion, Itok Parikesit, Assistant Deputy for Tourism Product Development at the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism, explained that Law Number 18 of 2025 on Tourism introduces a new approach through the concept of a Tourism Ecosystem. This concept becomes the foundation for tourism development that is no longer solely oriented towards the number of tourist visits. “Law Number 18 of 2025 on Tourism is important because it represents a transformation from an orientation on visit numbers towards a quality, sustainable, community-empowering, and competitive tourism ecosystem,” said Itok. Itok explained that, based on Presidential Regulation Number 3 of 2022, maritime tourism encompasses various natural tourism activities taking place in coastal and marine areas, including beach tourism, seascapes, and underwater attractions. Meanwhile, Nurdiansyah, Head of the Legal and Cooperation Section at the Secretariat of the Directorate General of Sea Transportation, Ministry of Transportation, highlighted the challenges of implementing Law Number 18 of 2025 from the operational side of the maritime tourism industry. “Currently, there is already a presidential regulation on the empowerment of traditional vessels. The challenge is that we need cross-ministerial policy synergy to support the shipyard industry. The operation and safety of traditional vessels are also regulated by the Ministry of Transportation,” he explained. Through this academic forum, participants agreed that the development of Indonesia’s maritime tourism requires a comprehensive approach through regulatory harmonisation, institutional strengthening, coastal community empowerment, digital transformation, and cross-ministerial and cross-sectoral collaboration.