A sustainable marine tourism model integrating the blue economy and local wisdom for poverty alleviation on Banyak Island

Abstract

Banyak Island in Aceh Singkil Regency has strong potential for marine tourism, yet the region continues to face poverty and limited socio-economic development. This study aims to develop a sustainable marine tourism model based on the blue economy and local wisdom as a strategy for poverty reduction in coastal communities. A quantitative explanatory approach was applied using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with LISREL, analyzing Blue Economy Potential, Local Wisdom, Training and Capacity Building, Sustainable Marine Tourism, and Coastal Community Welfare. Data were collected from 176 active fishers selected through purposive sampling. The results indicate a good model fit (p-value = 0.05691; RMSEA = 0.015; CFI, GFI, and IFI ≥ 0.90). Local wisdom shows the strongest influence on the tourism model, followed by training and capacity building and blue economy potential, while the sustainable marine tourism model has a significant positive effect on community welfare. These findings suggest that integrating blue economy principles, local cultural values, and community capacity building can promote inclusive and sustainable marine tourism and effectively reduce poverty in coastal areas.