Strategic Sustainable Coastal Tourism Planning for Mursala Island, Central Tapanuli Regency: Leveraging Local Culture, Infrastructure, and Community Participation

Mursala Island, located in Central Tapanuli Regency, is a potential coastal tourism area renowned for its natural beauty and rich local culture. However, tourism development in the region remains unstructured and unsustainable. This study aims to analyze the current conditions of Mursala Island, including infrastructure readiness, accessibility, community participation, and the level of local socio-cultural resilience toward tourism. The goal is to formulate strategies for sustainable coastal tourism development. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative data from surveys with qualitative insights gathered from in-depth interviews and observations, with a total of 100 respondents. The results reveal that local socio-cultural resilience is the most significant factor in supporting tourism interest (mean = 4.06), followed by community participation (mean = 3.82), infrastructure readiness (mean = 3.61), and accessibility (mean = 3.26). The qualitative findings further emphasize that while the community actively preserves cultural traditions, there are significant barriers related to access and a lack of participatory institutions. The SWOT analysis highlighted several opportunities for improvement, including the establishment of a Local Customary Tourism Unit, the development of permanent piers and sea transportation, and the formulation of a village regulation (Perdes) focused on culture-based tourism. This study concludes that for Mursala Island to achieve sustainable coastal tourism development, it must leverage local social capital and cultural preservation. Additionally, improvements in accessibility and infrastructure are essential. The findings contribute to the theoretical understanding of Community-Based Tourism (CBT) by emphasizing the role of local socio-cultural resilience, while also offering practical recommendations for policy development and sustainable tourism practices. By integrating these strategies, Mursala Island can build a more sustainable and participatory tourism model that benefits both the local community and the environment.