Martina Rahmadani (Responsible Marine Business Officer, WWF-Indonesia)

Since 2014, in the Southern Eastern Seascape, WWF-Indonesia has expanded its working area to the Taka Bonarate National Park (TN). One of them is the development of WWF-Indonesia's program related to community-based responsible tourism. The initial assessment of the potential and condition of Taka Bonerate National Park as the 'entrance' of WWF-Indonesia's responsible tourism program in this seascape, was conducted in early May 2015, using the feasibility study step to see the current condition of the tourism of Taka Bonarate National Park so that future programs can be planned. The study found that tourism development in this area has both opportunities and challenges. Despite its natural beauty and richness, the National Park Authority and the Selayar Regency Government have not worked in synergy and have not involved local communities and local tour operators in efforts to manage Taka Bonarate National Park in relation to the tourism sector.

The results of this study were then followed up by the Taka Bonarate NP Center, the Selayar Regency Government, and received a positive response from the Selayar community. On 4-5 November 2015, WWF-Indonesia, in collaboration with the Taka Bonarate National Park Authority, the local government and the Selayar community, organized a focus group discussion (FGD) to discuss the condition of tourism in Selayar Regency, which is still not well coordinated, with business actors and the government working independently in the development of the tourism sector. This is certainly hampering the progress of tourism development in Selayar Regency.

Around 35 participants were present and expressed their opinions on the tourism activities they have carried out so far in Selayar Regency, such as promoting and marketing the Taka Bonerate National Park area; improving accommodation facilities; renting boats; and increasing capacity. However, these activities are still ongoing without proper coordination. During approximately three hours of exploring the problems faced such as the lack of facilities and infrastructure to support the development of the tourism sector; the many human activities that threaten the environment (illegal mining, illegal and destructive fishing); waste; and so on, the participants agreed that there are five important things in the development of tourism in Selayar Regency, namely Accessibility and Facilities, Standardization, Products, Institutions, and the Environment.

Of the five things discussed, one of the main concerns of all participants was the institution, which is an important factor for Selayar Regency in the future in developing the area into one of the leading tourist destinations in Indonesia to foreign countries.
Based on this main concern related to institutional issues, one of the agreements reached at this FGD was to form the Selayar Taka Bonerate Tourism Activists Association (P3ST), a forum that is expected to become an 'umbrella' for all stakeholders and business people in the tourism sector in Selayar Regency to exchange information and find ideas to accelerate tourism development in Selayar.

This FGD activity was attended by around 35 participants from various institutions, namely the government; business actors from the tourism sector such as owners and managers of lodging services, transportation service providers, and diving operators; as well as banks, which are located and operate in Selayar Regency.

Taka Bonarate National Park, Selayar Regency, is located in the Southern Eastern Seascape, which is part of the Sunda Banda Seascape and is included in the World Coral Triangle.