Advances in Tourism Studies
Vol. 3 No. 4 (2025): Advances in Tourism Studies

Marine Conservation Policies and Tourism Performance in Small Islands: Evidence from Panel Regression in Gili Matra

Mas'ud, Riduan (Unknown)
Rifqi, Husni Muhamad (Unknown)
Vano, Vinson (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
25 Dec 2025

Abstract

This study examines how marine conservation policy intensity and environmental quality influence tourism performance and island-level income in the Gili Matra Marine Tourism Park, Indonesia. Using a twenty-year fixed effects panel (2005–2024), the analysis evaluates the effects of conservation measures, ecological conditions, regional tourism demand, and accessibility on tourist arrivals and tourism-generated revenue across three small islands. The results show that stronger conservation policies and higher environmental quality significantly increase both arrivals and income, demonstrating that ecological governance functions as an economic asset rather than a constraint. Robustness tests with lagged and interaction models confirm the stability of these relationships and reveal complementarity between policy interventions and environmental improvements. The study contributes to theoretical debates on sustainable island tourism and provides evidence supporting Indonesia’s Blue Economy agenda. Policy recommendations highlight the importance of enforcement, ecological monitoring, transport infrastructure, and resilience planning.

Copyrights © 2025






Journal Info

Abbrev

ATS

Publisher

Subject

Social Sciences

Description

Advances in Tourism Studies (ATS) is a peer-reviewed journal published in English by the Centre for Tourism Studies, Sekolah Tinggi Pariwisata Mataram (E-ISSN: 2987-9450). Since its launch in March 2023, ATS has consistently published high-quality research in tourism. The journal aims to advance ...