Abstract

Ecotourism area which relies on natural conditions and local resources such as plants is required to preserve its existing resources as the main attraction. Number of visitors can be parameter of its development. Tourist visits which exceed capacity has the potential to bring negative impact to the ecotourism as a whole. Therefore, recognizing the capacity of the area is important in order that tourism and conservation activities can synergize and go hand in hand. This study aimed at analyzing the carrying capacity of Maron Mangrove Edu Park (MMEP). Data of the study were collected by surveying visitors of MMEP, interviewing the management and directly observing the site of the study. Data were analyzed based on the concept of carrying capacity. Result of the study showed that the ecotourism area was able to accommodate only 50 people/day. The average number of visitors per day were still under the maximum carrying capacity, thus it was still "safe". To increase visits of tourists, optimization of the area based on the concept of sustainable tourism were required and could be implemented by improving access to the location, infrastructure and quality of waste management.