Ecological Vulnerability and Inclusive Tourism Development in a Dryland Coastal Village: Evidence from Sekaroh, Lombok, Indonesia

Tourism is increasingly considered a livelihood option for coastal villages, yet its distributional value depends on the ecological and financial conditions confronting local households. This study investigates the relationship between seasonal water scarcity, rural poverty, and the social preconditions for equitable tourism development in Sekaroh, East Lombok, Indonesia. Rapid ethnographic fieldwork comprised in-depth interviews and participatory observations involving ten household heads across contrasting socioeconomic circumstances. Thematic analysis and a gender, disability, and social-inclusion perspective were used to examine water expenses, land access, borrowing, and responses to agricultural lean seasons. Households reported purchasing 5,000-litre water tankers for IDR 150,000–200,000 each. In the detailed dry-season scenario of two to three tankers monthly, expenditure reaches IDR 300,000–600,000 per month, representing 60% to more than 100% of a reported IDR 500,000 monthly cash income. Some households relied on informal loans, reduced food consumption, or temporary migration; those with land, livestock, savings, or formal credit had more coping options. The study interprets these livelihood differences alongside the emergence of coastal tourism in Sekaroh. Its main contribution is a sequenced, evidence-based planning approach in which water affordability, lawful land-use security, inclusive institutions, and accessible local supply chains precede claims about tourism-led poverty reduction.