Creative Economy in Ecotourism: Evidence from Surabaya, Indonesia
This study of Surabaya's Mangrove Botanical Garden Gununganyar demonstrates that creative economy development and ecotourism quality significantly enhance destination performance by fostering memorable visitor experiences, although environmental awareness does not moderate this relationship.
Original paper licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This is an AI-generated explanation of the paper below. It is not written or endorsed by the authors. For technical accuracy, refer to the original paper. Read full disclaimer
In the world of travel, a quiet shift has been taking place. For decades, the focus was often simply on how many people visited a place or how much money they spent. But as the world grapples with climate change and the need to protect nature, the question has changed. It is no longer just about counting visitors; it is about how a destination can protect its environment while still helping local people thrive. This new approach relies on two main ideas. First, there is the concept of the "creative economy," which means taking local culture, skills, and imagination—like making handicrafts, cooking local food, or telling stories—and turning them into experiences that visitors can enjoy. Second, there is "ecotourism quality," which refers to how well a natural place is cared for, how safe it is, and how clearly its importance is explained to guests. When these two things work together, they create a "visitor experience." This is the feeling a person gets when they are truly engaged, learning, and connecting with a place. If that experience is good, it leads to "destination performance," a measure of how successful the place is at keeping visitors happy, encouraging them to return, and supporting the local community and environment for the long term.
Researchers from universities in Surabaya, Indonesia, set out to test how these ideas work together in a very specific setting: the Mangrove Botanical Garden in Gununganyar. This is a coastal park filled with mangrove trees, which are vital for protecting the shoreline and supporting wildlife. The garden has been trying to blend nature conservation with local creativity, offering visitors things like mangrove-based foods, handmade crafts, and educational tours. To understand if this mix actually works, the team surveyed 300 visitors who had recently been to the garden. They asked these people about the creative activities they saw, the quality of the natural environment and services, how aware they were of environmental issues, and how memorable their overall experience was. By analyzing these answers, the researchers could see which factors truly drove the success of the destination.
The study found that the creative side of the garden was the most powerful driver of a good visitor experience. When the garden offered unique, hands-on activities—such as workshops where visitors could learn to make things from mangrove materials or taste local dishes made from the forest—people felt more connected and satisfied. The quality of the ecotourism itself, including clean paths, safe facilities, and clear information about the trees, also mattered greatly, though it played a slightly smaller role than the creative activities in this specific case. The most important discovery, however, was that these two factors did not improve the garden's success directly. Instead, they worked by first creating a memorable experience for the visitor. It was this feeling of having a meaningful, engaging trip that then led to better outcomes for the destination, such as visitors wanting to come back or telling their friends about it. In short, the creative activities and the well-kept nature were the ingredients, but the delicious meal was the experience itself, and that meal was what made the destination successful.
One idea the researchers tested turned out to be less important than expected. They wondered if a visitor's personal concern for the environment would change how much they enjoyed the creative activities. They thought that people who cared deeply about nature might appreciate the creative, eco-friendly projects more than those who did not. The data showed this was not the case. Whether a visitor was highly aware of environmental issues or not, they still enjoyed the creative experiences just as much. The fun of making a craft or tasting a local dish was enough to create a positive memory on its own, regardless of the visitor's personal beliefs about conservation. This suggests that creative tourism can appeal to a wide range of people without needing to preach about the environment first.
The implications of these findings are clear for the people who manage places like the Mangrove Botanical Garden. The study suggests that the best way to ensure a destination thrives is to focus on designing experiences that are authentic and interactive. It is not enough to simply have beautiful trees or sell products; the magic happens when visitors are invited to participate, learn, and connect with the local community. By strengthening these creative programs and ensuring the natural environment is well-maintained, managers can create the kind of memorable moments that turn a simple visit into a lasting relationship. The research confirms that when a destination successfully blends local creativity with nature conservation, it creates a powerful engine for long-term success, driven not by the number of tickets sold, but by the quality of the memories made.
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