Spatial Planning Policy for Sustainable Tourism Development: A Contemporary Islamic Law Perspective on Environmental Justice and Public Welfare

Sustainable tourism development requires spatial planning policies that balance economic, social, cultural, and environmental interests. However, implementing spatial planning policies in Indonesia still faces challenges, including regulatory disharmony between central and local governments, overlapping institutional authority, weak land-use oversight, and low public participation in the spatial planning and control process. This study analyses the implementation and strategies for spatial planning policies that support sustainable tourism development through a multidisciplinary approach integrating Lawrence Friedman’s Legal Systems Theory with the principles of Maqāṣid al-Sharī’ah. This study employs a socio-legal approach with a qualitative design and was conducted in Kuningan Regency, West Java Province, and Buleleng Regency, Bali Province. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, field observations, focus group discussions (FGDs), document reviews, and an analysis of various regulations and development planning documents. Data analysis used the Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña interactive model and thematic analysis. The results indicate that the interrelationship among legal substance, legal structure, and legal culture significantly influences the effectiveness of spatial planning policies. Inconsistent regulations, weak institutional coordination, and largely formalistic community participation are the primary factors hindering policy implementation. Studies in Kuningan and Buleleng Regencies show that integrating spatial planning, environmental protection, community empowerment, and institutional strengthening supports more sustainable tourism development. This research offers a novel Sustainable Spatial Governance Model that integrates legal system dimensions with the principles of Maqāṣid al-Sharī’ah to achieve public welfare, social justice, environmental protection, and intergenerational sustainability in tourism development.