Discovering Ciletuh Bay: A High-Value Local Cultural Ecosystem

Ciletuh Bay, part of the Ciletuh-Palabuhanratu Geopark, is a popular coastal ecotourism destination.

Located in Ciemas District, Sukabumi Regency, West Java, this ecotourism area covers approximately 128,000 hectares and boasts Indonesia's largest mega-amphitheater, a 15-kilometer diameter landscape facing the Indian Ocean. The area encompasses 74 villages and 8 districts.

Attractions within the area include beaches, the Dewi Kwan Im Vihara, Puncak Darma, Curug Awang, Curug Sodong, and Panenjoan cliffs. There is no entrance fee to the Geopark; visitors only pay for parking and applicable fees at specific attractions or facilities.

Data from the Ciletuh-Palabuhanratu Geopark Management Agency, processed by Eka Yudhistira et al. in a 2021 journal, shows that visitor numbers initially reached 343,910 in 2012.

In 2015, Ciletuh Bay's status was upgraded to a national geopark. Consequently, tourist visits increased significantly to 561,120.

Three years later, on April 17, 2018, UNESCO designated the Ciletuh-Palabuhanratu Geopark as part of the UNESCO Global Geopark Network. This designation seemingly influenced tourist visits, reaching a peak of 1.17 million—the highest level in almost a decade.

However, tourist numbers plummeted by 69.70% year-on-year (YoY) to 265,720 in 2020 due to activity restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The high number of visitors indicates strong interest and preference for the beautiful landscape of Ciletuh Bay. Eka et al.'s research also found that Ciletuh Bay generates an annual cultural ecosystem service value of Rp862.64 billion, or Rp77.91 million per hectare per year.

Eka and colleagues believe this figure signals the need for the government to implement appropriate spatial planning policies to develop local cultural ecosystem services.

Quoting the journal by Wei et al., Eka mentions that cultural ecosystem services can yield non-material benefits, including spiritual enrichment, recreation, cognitive development, and aesthetic experiences, particularly for tourists visiting natural attractions.

This experience impacts the assessment of cultural ecosystem services, which combines biophysical characteristics with the socio-economic conditions of the local community and tourists.

"The journal by Lee et al. shows that cultural ecosystem services have the potential to significantly contribute to increased biodiversity and local economies," wrote Eka and other researchers in the journal *Strategies for Managing Coastal Ecotourism Areas Through a Cultural Ecosystem Services Approach: A Case Study in Ciletuh Bay*.