Water services in the coastal tourism zone of Gunungkidul karst

Thesis

Coastal tourism holds significant economic contributions to a water-scarce area of Gunungkidul karst. With over 60 coastal destinations, the region is expected to experience continued coastal development as planned by local officials, amidst vulnerability to water-related issues rooted in a series of water scarcity and drought events. In light of the potential climate threats and tourism boom, further investigation of coastal tourism is essential. This study qualitatively explores the existing landscape of water services in the coastal tourism zone of Gunungkidul karst and simultaneously identifies the main problems and outlines the appropriate interventions. Multistakeholder interviews were undertaken, including individual interviews with local vendors across the selected beaches and subsequently analysed using thematic and spatial analysis. The results revealed that water services vary irregularly across different tourism zones and coastal development states. Although the coastal tourism in the region has not exhibited massive tourism growth, the water services available in the region have not adequately supplied water for tourism activities. The regional drinking water utility (PDAM) serves as the main water provider in most areas, despite seasonal reliability and water quality issues. Meanwhile, some beaches have limited access to PDAM and prefer less budget-friendly options, such as water trucks, which also turn into a more reliable supporting service. A few others have been self-sufficient with their local sources or by making water wells. These phenomena are believed to stem from the karst environment factors, infrastructure barriers, as well as poor water-tourism governance. Locals express greater concern over the current issues than the most influential stakeholders, as selling water services has been their livelihood. Testimonials from local vendors at every beach suggest immediate technical interventions to enhance the water infrastructure, along with non-technical interventions to address the institutional challenges and support the sustained and responsible practice of water services.

Authors: Abadi, AW

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-bxrqmn9px
• Type of award: MPhil
• Level of award: Masters
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: coastal tourism; coastal karst; water resources; water services; water-tourism
• Subjects: Water resources development; Water-supply; Coastal tourism; Water-tourism nexus; Water-supply--Management