The role of tourism in the conservation of Tanjung Puting National Park, Kalimantan Tengah, Indonesian Borneo

This paper investigates the role of tourism in the conservation of Tanjung Puting National Park in Kalimantan, Tengah, Indonesian Borneo. Information regarding tourism and conservation was collected through observations and interviews and through a questionnaire of participants on three types of group trips to the park. It is concluded that tourism is improving the conservation situation of the Park by creating institutional commitment, generating funds for conservation organizations, providing limited economic benefits for local people, and raising awareness about the Park. Tourism also has potential to create noise, air, and water pollution, disturb wildlife, and perpetuate the inequitable economic conditions at the park. Results of the questionnaire indicated that visitors' expectations and perceptions are shaped to a great extent by the nature of their trip. It is also apparent that tourists understand the basic concepts of conservation, feel that tourism operators have an obligation to destinations sites, feel that local people have a role in conservation, were insufficiently certain that their trips benefited the people and the wildlife of the area, gained conservation knowledge and personal growth, feel that tourism is essential to the conservation of the area, and became inspired to increase their conservation involvement in fewer numbers than was expected and hoped for. The paper concludes that the park is much better off with tourism than without and that although tourism is not currently living up to its potential to enhance conservation that it can with specific interventions that are currently being pursued.