Tidung Island Tourism, Coastal Conservation and Residents' Economy Are the Focus of Attention

Tidung Island in Thousand Islands offers more than just the charm of coastal tourism. Beyond this existing potential, tourism development on the island must progress hand in hand with environmental protection efforts and the creation of new economic opportunities for local communities.

This message was conveyed by DKI Jakarta Deputy Governor Rano Karno during an official working visit to Tidung Island. According to him, successful tourism is not just about bringing in visitors, it must also ensure coastal ecosystems remain protected and local residents feel the direct economic benefits.

"Tourism must run parallel with conservation. For this reason, this visit was accompanied by the Guard Jakarta Movement: activities including waste sorting, star pomfrest fish restocking and mangrove planting to preserve coastal ecosystems," Rano stated in an official press release issued in Jakarta on Friday.

Environmental Conservation efforts are implemented alongside the development of new tourism attractions. One such initiative is the "Wall of Jakarta 2026" project, held as part of World Tourism Day commemorations on Tidung Island.

These public space murals are not merely new photo backdrops for tourists. The artworks carry the stories of coastal communities, highlight local marine life, and deliver public messages about the importance of environmental stewardship.

"Wall of Jakarta 2026 is part of our World Tourism Day celebration, while also working to revitalise Tidung Island's public spaces through art," Rano explained.

For Rano, art can become an integrated part of the visitor experience, while also acting as a medium to showcase the unique character of Tidung Island.

The murals breathe new life into public areas, while sharing the stories of local coastal communities and the richness of the surrounding marine ecosystem with every visitor.

During his visit, Rano inspected various community facilities and activities including grouper and star pomfret aquaculture cages, vocational training facilities at SMK Negeri 61 Jakarta, and the public mural creation sites.

Development of Tidung Island Tourism is focused on strengthening local resident skills. The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government is engaging communities in a range of training programs, from processing breadfruit cuisine and Tidung Coffee, to marine life themed nail art.

Additional training covers t-shirt screen printing, collaborative sketch jamming sessions and barber workshops. These varied programs open pathways for residents to turn practical skills into new small businesses, while creating unique signature products for tourists.

A dedicated creative market has also been established as a meeting space between local business operators and visitors. Local speciality foods and handcrafted goods can be sold directly here, ensuring tourism activity delivers value beyond just sightseeing.

"This creative market also gives local economic actors space to sell their signature food and crafts directly to tourists. This means the benefits of these programs are not limited to the art sector alone, they also activate the grassroots community economy," he added.

This dual approach gives Tidung Island tourism development two balanced core goals. Tourists gain authentic new experiences through art, local cuisine and community activities, while local residents receive expanded opportunities to grow their sources of income.

Rano expects this approach will create positive ripple effects across all economic sectors on Tidung Island. Beyond product sales, homestay operators and sea transport services will also benefit from increased, higher Quality Tourism activity.

"We are targeting tangible economic benefits across Tidung Island: from improved homestay occupancy rates, higher demand for sea transport, longer tourist length of stay and visitor spending, right through to increased income for all local business operators," he stated.

With this framework, Tidung Island is not being developed purely as a marine Tourism Destination. Environmental Conservation, local community creativity and grassroots economic activity are positioned as core parts of the visitor experience, as well as the foundation for sustainable long-term tourism growth.