Local Economic Development in the Mangrove Ecotourism Area of West Lombok Regency

Mangrove ecotourism may support coastal livelihoods while creating opportunities for environmental conservation. This study examined local economic conditions, identified internal and external development factors, and prioritised strategies in the Bagek Kembar and Lembar Selatan mangrove ecotourism areas of West Lombok Regency, Indonesia. A descriptive quantitative survey was conducted from June to July 2026, involving 24 respondents drawn from ecotourism management, micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, visitors and government institutions. Questionnaire data were evaluated using strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis and the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). Local activities included sales of traditional foods, seafood and mangrove seedlings, alongside ecotourism-related services. Reported monthly business incomes ranged from IDR 2,500,000 to IDR 5,000,000 in Bagek Kembar and from IDR 2,000,000 to IDR 8,000,000 in Lembar Selatan. The most highly scored internal strength was the basic management and visitor-service capacity of managers and the community (0.597). The leading external opportunity was interest in ecotourism and culture (0.624), while mangrove damage represented a prominent threat (0.570). The SWOT assessment placed the areas in Quadrant I. AHP identified capacity-building through training and mentoring in ecotourism management, visitor services and sustainable business development as the highest-priority strategy (SO2; weight 0.390). The findings support locally tailored capacity-building and enterprise development alongside mangrove conservation.