Developing tourism on the island of West papua is a challenging thing to do.
Although it has a variety of potential natural beauty available on land and sea, Papua is enveloped by many tribes.
Moreover, it widely spread throughout an area that covers two provinces.
Geography of West papua
Papua is geographically located quite far from Jakarta on the island of Java. If you want to reach Jayapura, the capital of Papua,
It takes up to five hours of flight time or the same as the travel time for flights to Japan or Hong Kong.
With this distance, it is unsurprising that Papua and West papua have many limitations in development and infrastructure, including limitations in development for the world of education.
A strong commitment is needed to develop the Papua region for all these limitations to continue to decrease and even disappear.
One of them is the development of the tourism sector, which must be done carefully and involve local communities.
Tourism Potential
This Province is rich in natural resources. Its tourism potential is also very promising. One tourist attraction that has been famous in foreign countries is Raja Ampat.
Its location in the coral triangle makes Raja Ampat one of the tourism icons of this Province.
In addition to Raja Ampat, Papua has many other beautiful places, such as Namatota and Triton Bay in Kaimana Regency.
The natural beauty is even more special because Papua has diverse flora and fauna.
However, the tourism potential needs to be better manage and provide optimal benefits for indigenous peoples. One of them is due to the need for more human resources.
At the same time, sustainable tourism can improve the economy of indigenous peoples.
The Right Tourism Development Concept
With the contours of a still beautiful and natural area, West papua needs the right concept for tourism development. Some examples that can be apply are ecotourism.
Ecotourism is a responsible tourist trip to natural places by protecting nature and maintaining social and economic sustainability for the welfare of local communities.
It also creates understanding through interpretation from all involved.
Ecotourism activities that general tourists can do are always to leave a good impression and take care of nature sincerely when visiting tourist attractions.
If you are climbing a mountain, then when you go down, always collect the scattered garbage.
Likewise, when travelling to the beach or sea area, tourists must be able to protect the environment adequately—the trick,
By not littering and leaving the existing garbage just like that.
In addition to concepts, HR skills also need to be improve. In the world of tourism, everything has a standard benchmark.
Human resources in tourism management are essential. The skills experience people possess can be pass on to the next generation.
Impact of Tourism on the Economy
The development of tourism potential in West papua significantly impacts society, especially in economic revival with the opening of employment opportunities.
Tourism development is essential in encouraging economic activity, improving Indonesia’s image, improving community welfare, and providing expanded employment opportunities.
This role, among others, is show by the contribution of tourism to the country’s foreign exchange earnings generate by foreign tourist visits, GDP value-added, and employment.
In addition, tourism also plays a role in improving national identity. Besides, it also encourages public awareness and pride in the nation’s cultural wealth by introducing tourism products.
Such as the richness and uniqueness of nature and the sea.
West papua is one of the provinces with a place worldwide. Its natural beauty has been famous and influential in bringing in tourists.
Furthermore, we must maintain its sustainability. So it remains global and beneficial for the indigenous people and national income.