SIDI RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Maratua Island Home-stay Scheme Research:

A Community Based Approach Study For
Sustainable Tourism Development


Prepared for: SIDI, Maratua Island Tourism Focus
Proposed by: Andre Prakoso, Ocean Engineering
27 March 2014
Faculty of Marine Technology
Phone Number : +6282233005535
Email : andre.prakoso@icloud.com




SIDI RESEARCH PROPOSAL

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Objective
To determine the best suited homestay scheme in Maratua Island for a Sustainable Tourism
Development, while preserving the environment. Community Based Approach will become
the main concept of the research, with Local Residents as it's main subject. The Government
and the Non Government Organization (NGO) will act collaboratively to supervise the
operation of the scheme

Significance of The Research
A good Home-stay scheme shall be able to preserve the environment, increase the economic
growth, strengthens local sense of pride in their culture, and enchances their skill and
knowledge in managing tourism for a Sustainable Development.While on the other hand, a
bad Home-stay scheme will cause environment degradation, social and economic inequality
between the local resident, and miscommunication between local resident and the
government thus resulting to the failure of Maratua Island Tourism Development .

Challenge
Tourism infrastucture has been always a serious concern in every form. Either the lack of
infrastructure or unplanned infrastructure. Such as the lack of skills and knowledge about the
tourism management in the the society and also the absence of the government regulation and
supervision. More comprehensive and integrated planning shall be considered to anticipate
social and environment disturbances.

Research Outline
In order to determine the best suited homestay scheme, the researcher need to execute some
of these activity, but not limited to :
Collecting Information (Questionnaire, Interview, etc)
Focus Group Discussion
In Depth Analysis and Scheme Construction
Report Writing

SIDI RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Abstract

Maratua is one of the four most popular sophisticated tropical islands of Derawan
Archipelago located south of Tarakan city under Berau Jurisdiction. This paradise island is
situated within the fabled coral triangle, thus making it's water area contain the third highest
level of marine biodiversity in the world after Raja Ampat and the Solomon Islands. With
over 20 diving spot across the island, Maratua shall became, "a must Dive site" for both
domestic and international tourist alike. Besides Diving, Maratua also offers unique
experience for tourists by interacting with the Bajo Tribe. This Bajo people, or often called
Sea Gypsies are a landless tribe that's sustained completely by only using resource from the
ocean. And not only do they survive solely on marine resources, they actually live in the
ocean as well. They also distinguished by their exceptonal free-diving abilities and intimate
knoledge of the maritime coastal ecosystems.
However as a new popular tourist destination, Maratua faces some difficulities to
develop it's potential. For example, because of it's remote location there's limited option for
tourist to get there. Either by taking plane to Balikpapan then continue the flight to Tanjung
Redeb and finally take the boat to Maratua, or by directly using the speedboat from Berau.
The lack of local resident skill and knowledge concerning tourism management also became
a problem for Maratua sustainable tourism development. And one of the most dire problem
Maratua has to face is the shortage of the tourist accomodation. There's only one resort
established to accomodate all tourist.
As a solution for the accomodation problem, Home-stay program was introduced.
This program chosen because of it's several advantages. By involving the local resident in
tourism activity, it enchances their skill and knowledge concerning the tourism management
for a sustainable growth. Their sense of pride in their culture also strenghen, because the
tourist will respect them as their host. It also ensures that the benefits of the tourism activity
actually reach the local communities. Moreover with Bajo Tribe as the local resident, this
program can help sustain the existing ecology. Because it's Bajo Tribe's nature value the
environment.
This research aim is to determine the best suited Home-stay scheme specific for
Maratua Island. Environmental, Social, and Economic issue shall be considered in the
process of planning the scheme. Qualitative method will be used in the form of interview
with local resident, government, NGO, and tourist representative. Analysis will be conducted
based on secondary data (economic growth, tourist I/O rate, etc), interview result, and group
discussion with research party and all stakeholder.


SIDI RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Literature Review

In order to deepen our understanding regarding the Home-stay scheme, we must first
refer to the definition of Sustainable tourism development. Sustainable tourism development
refers to development in a manner and scale that remains viable over an indefinite period. It
avoids any degradation or modification of the present environment (Pakshir and
Vinekswaran, 2011). Under it there's community-based approach, or in this case often called
Community-based tourism (CBT) which is a type of sustainable tourism that promotes pro-
poor strategies in a community setting. CBT initiatives aim to involve local residents in the
running and management of small tourism projects as a means of alleviating poverty and
providing an alternative income source for community members (Twinning.L, 2007). Home-
stay being the smallest element in this framework, must be consciously planned to benefit
local resident, respect local culture, conserve natural resource, and educate both tourists and
the local residents.
There is several advantages offered by the Home-stay programs. For the tourist, this
program is favoured because it offers them chance to experience a local touch starting from
the cuisine they eat, the way they sleep, and the way they interact with their host. As for the
host, this program provide them a self employment mechanism as their new source of
income; Enchances their skill and knowledge concerning the tourism management for a
sustainable growth; Strengthen their sense of pride of their own culture; and many more. Past
study also reveal the emergence of local resident's creativity and intiative towards the
perfection of their own service regardless their lack of formal education (Gangotia, A. 2013).
In addition to it's advantages, Home-stay programs also hold several challenges to be
implemented. In some well established community homestays such as Sirubari, Nepal the
homestay programme has been facing the generation gap problem (Lama, 2013). Most of the
homestays are operated by the women's' groups and the old generation, whereas young
generation are migrating to the city area for better education and for higher wage. If such
condition allowed to be continue, then the village tourism can collapse within the next two
decades. Feasibility studies and adequate plans is a must when dealing with rural area where
there is lack of skill and knowledge about the tourism management (HTN, 2012).
So with the CBT concept in mind, the process of Home-stay scheme planning should
be done in the way that involve local community to help preserve their culture ( Giampiccoli
and Kalis, 2012). In addition, community participation is beneficial for environment
protection because compared with outsider, the local resedent have a self-consciousness to
protect the natural resources which are regarded as their 'own environment' (Gu and Wong,
2005). However, in Indonesia there's findings that the local community involvement did not
guarantee that the project would avoid negative impacts on the environment (Sudarmo,
2005). Further regulation shall be created to limit the community control towards the
environment. There must be some balance in power between the local community,
SIDI RESEARCH PROPOSAL

government, and NGO. Where as each element play a role in the mechanism. Local
community as the main player, government as the authorities, and the NGO as the supervisor.
Tourist value perception, is another important aspect that we should considerate in planning
the scheme. Now days, the host are encouraged to provide more emotional and personal
experience for their guest. These experience may be introduced by adding more value in the
terms of fun, new and different experiences, the variety of tradition oriented activities, and
culturaly-oriented performances (Jamal and Maheran, 2011).

Research Methodology

The methodology adopted in this research will be a qualitative nature. Both primary
and secondary data are going to be used in this study. Primary data collection shall be int the
form of questionnaire sampling; interviews; focus group discussions with the local residents,
government representative, and NGO; and field observation of the existing Home-stay
program. The main source of the secondary data shall be the government statistics and local
printed media. Questionnaire is based on closed question, while Interviews will be conducted
in open question. Both of the activity will be implemented by using random sampling format
in the first half of the in place observation month. Focus group discussions are going to be
held minimum three times on the last half of the month. In depth analysis are going to be
done in site and revision shall be made continuesly untill the final report submission deadline.

Research Timetable

April - May : Literature Study, Permission of Government data, Draft the
questionare and interview questions
J une - J uly : Questionare, Interview, Field observation, Focus group discussion
(Activities are going to be done in such an order)
August - September : Home-stay scheme construction, Report writing
October : Revise for final report submission and presentation


SIDI RESEARCH PROPOSAL

REFERENCE

Gangotia, A. 2013. Home Stay Scheme in Himachal Pradesh: A Successful Story of Community
Based Tourism Initiatives. Global Research Analysis 2 ( 2)
Pakshir, L. and Vikneswaran, N. 2011. Sustainability of Homestay as a Form of Community-
Based Tourism (CBT): A Case Study of the Rural Community in Bavanat-Iran. Jounal of
Hospitality and Tourism 8 (1)
Twining, L. 2007. A Tool kit for Monitoring and Managing Community-Based Tourism. SNV, Ha Noi
Gu, M. and Wong, P P. 2005. Development of Costal Tourism and Homestays on Dachangshan Dao,
Liaoning Province, North East China.
http://www.irfd.org/events/wfsids/virtual/papers/sids_mingpohpoh.pdf
Sudarmo, S P. 2005. A Community-Based Approach To Tourism In Indonesia. Victoria University of
Technology, Melbourne
Jamal, S A. Othman, N. and Maheran, N. 2011. Tourist Perceived Value in a Community-Based
Homestay Visit: An Investigation into The Functional and Experiential Aspect of Value.
Jounal of Vacation Marketing 17 (1): 5-15
HTN. 2012. Homestay Tourism in Nepal: Opportunities and Challenges. Nepal Tourism Board,
Nepal
Lama, Miki. 2013. Community Homestay Programmes as a Form of Sustainable Tourism
Development in Nepal. Centria University of Applied Sciences, Finland
Giampiccoli, Andrea. and Kalis, J H. 2012. Community-based Tourism and Local Culture: The Case
of The amaMpondo. PASOS 10 (1): 173-188