The Importance of Local Population to Tourist Ratio to Ensure Sustainable Tourism, Environmental Balance, and Community Welfare

Abstract

Tourism sustainability in a region has become a key success and determinant in efforts to maintain the growth rate of tourists, increase the tourism literacy of local communities, and ensure the availability of tourism infrastructure in the region. The ratio of the number of tourists to the local population in the Super Priority Tourism Destination Area on Lombok Island and Sumbawa Island, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Province.  This study analyzes the ratio of tourists to local residents in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) for the period 2014-2022 to understand fluctuations in tourist visits and their implications for sustainable tourism development. The critical questions raised include how tourist arrivals fluctuate and what the ratio is to the local population. The purpose of this paper is to propose a sustainable tourism development strategy that considers the balance of tourism sector growth and its impact on local communities. The approach used is qualitative with descriptive statistical analysis of secondary data obtained from the Central Bureau of Statistics of NTB Province. The study found a decline in the ratio of tourists to local residents from 0.32 in 2014 to 0.25 in 2022, with significant fluctuations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The growth rate of tourists is declining (-2.086% CAGR), which is slower than population growth (0.877% CAGR). This finding indicates the need for effective tourism capacity management strategies, tourism product diversification, and community-based innovation to maintain a balance between tourism growth and the existence of local residents. In conclusion, sustainable tourism development in NTB should focus on innovation and disruption that ensures a balance of economic growth rate, environmental preservation, and community welfare improvement, taking into account market fluctuations and resilience to external shocks.