Sustainable Development in Coastal Regions: Integrating Blue Economy and Community Ecotourism for Poverty Eradication

The Blue Economy concept promotes sustainable marine resource utilization, though its implementation in Indonesia often prioritizes profit over community involvement. Clungup Mangrove Conservation (CMC) in South Malang exemplifies a community-based Marine Protected Area that, while successful in environmental management, it faces challenges in technological expertise and language skills that limit its full potential. This study aims to identify the role of community-based management at Clungup Mangrove Conservation (CMC) in Malang coastal ecotourism management and analyse the relationship of capital (natural, social, built, and human capital) in supporting poverty alleviation. Using a quantitative method, this research uses SEM-PLS analysis to address the above mentioned issue. The findings reveal that social capital, particularly community involvement, significantly influences the success of CE initiatives, fostering shared ownership and responsibility in ecotourism management. Human capital, through skill development and training, and natural capital, through sustainable resource use, also play pivotal roles in maximizing ecotourism potential. Community-managed coastal ecotourism (CMC) models are shown to create employment opportunities, increase household income, and promote the growth of micro and small enterprises, thereby reducing poverty levels in coastal regions. However, challenges such as limited technological skills and foreign language proficiency hinder market expansion and the attraction of international tourists. To address these limitations, the study underscores the importance of strengthening the stakeholders' collaboration while enhancing management capacity and human resource development. These measures are essential for optimizing ecotourism potential, fostering economic resilience, and supporting the blue economy. This model not only advances poverty reduction but also addresses broader socio-economic challenges in coastal areas.