Tourism Development and Coastal Access: Assessing the Legal Protection of Local Fishing Communities in Mandalika

I Made Krisna Agung Wijaya (Universitas Udayana)

Indonesian Tourism Justice Review
Vol. 3 No. 2 (2026): June, 2026

The transformation of coastal areas into tourism destinations can affect traditional fishing communities whose livelihoods depend on continued access to beaches and marine resources. In Mandalika, large-scale tourism development has increased pressure on coastal spaces and raised questions concerning the balance between tourism investment and local livelihood rights. This article examines the legal protection of fishing communities affected by tourism development in Mandalika, Central Lombok. Using normative juridical research and policy analysis, the study evaluates coastal governance, tourism zoning, land and marine resource regulation, and community participation. The article argues that tourism development should not effectively privatize or restrict traditional coastal access without adequate legal justification and safeguards. Fishing communities should be recognized as legitimate stakeholders whose livelihoods must be considered in spatial planning and tourism licensing. The study proposes a coastal tourism justice framework incorporating access rights, participatory planning, livelihood protection, compensation where necessary, and benefit-sharing mechanisms. The framework further requires transparent monitoring of tourism projects and accessible remedies for affected communities. Protecting coastal access is not only an environmental concern but also a matter of distributive and procedural justice. The article concludes that Mandalika's tourism development should integrate local livelihood rights into destination governance to ensure that investment contributes to inclusive rather than exclusionary coastal development.