Gorontalo Whale Shark Tourism Must Prioritize Conservation

KBRN, Jakarta: The immense popularity of whale shark tourism in Botubarani Village, Gorontalo, presents a serious conservation challenge, prompting Deputy Minister of Tourism Ni Luh Puspa to urge all stakeholders to prioritize the sustainability and protection of the rare marine species.

Following an audience with the Botubarani community on Sunday, Ni Luh emphasized that developing the village's tourism must be done without disturbing the whale sharks’ natural habitat, which has been the area's main attraction since 2016.

The Ministry of Tourism is coordinating closely with the Bone Bolango Regional Administration to formulate concrete steps for managing this sustainable attraction. The Minister stressed that while the proximity of the whale sharks, which allows tourists to view them from the shore, or via boats and paddleboards, is unique, the experience can only be preserved if conservation remains paramount.

The Deputy Minister urged tourists to act responsibly by maintaining safe distances, refraining from direct feeding, and preventing marine pollution. She also encouraged the community and local administrations to create new attractions to prevent Botubarani from relying solely on the whale sharks.

"Of course, other innovations are needed to develop this tourist village. Don't just rely on the whale sharks but also present new attractions so that tourists can experience various things when they visit," Ni Luh said, as quoted by antaranews.com.

Wahab Matoka, Chairman of the Botubarani Village Tourism Awareness Group, noted that the whale sharks have brought significant positive change, with local residents now independently managing the tourism sector. He voiced an ambitious goal: "We want the tourism here to be different from Bali, but the number of visitors could be equivalent to Bali."

Wahab also requested that the Ministry assist in providing plankton shelters (rumpon) to enhance the marine ecosystem and establish a consistent feeding ground. "With more plankton, the whale sharks will come more often, so tourists can always see them," he explained.

In addition to meeting with the Botubarani community, Ni Luh visited the Bubohu Bongo Religious Tourism Village to discuss development and inspected clean toilet facilities at Dulanga Beach, which was supported by the Ministry of Tourism. ***

Source :

https://rri.co.id/en/national/1869310/gorontalo-whale-shark-tourism-must-prioritize-conservation