Green Tourism Communication Strategies in Supporting Sustainable Tourism Development in Lampung’s Coastal Destinations, Indonesia

M. Fikri Akbar; Eko Aziz Apriandi; Asmaria Asmaria; Sandy Allifiansyah; Eni Kardi Wiyati

doi:10.36256/ijtl.v7i2.631

Green Tourism Communication Strategies in Supporting Sustainable Tourism Development in Lampung’s Coastal Destinations, Indonesia

M. Fikri Akbar, Eko Aziz Apriandi, Asmaria Asmaria, Sandy Allifiansyah, Eni Kardi Wiyati

Abstract

Coastal tourism development in Indonesia has grown rapidly and plays a significant role in regional economic development, yet it also generates serious environmental and socio-cultural challenges. This study examines green tourism communication strategies in three coastal destinations in Lampung Province, Indonesia (Sebalang Beach, Pahawang Island, and Kiluan Bay) and analyzes their role in supporting sustainable tourism development. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, data were collected from May to June 2026 through in-depth interviews with 15 key informants (tourism managers, government officials, community leaders, local tourism actors, and environmental activists), participant observation, and document analysis. The findings show that green tourism communication in these destinations operates through four connected strategies: environmental branding, participatory communication, digital media, and local wisdom. Environmental branding builds a sustainable destination image, but its credibility weakens where waste management facilities do not match the messages on display. Participatory communication through community meetings, education programs, and training workshops strengthens community ownership and shared responsibility. Digital media extend the reach of sustainability messages, although promotional content tends to draw more attention than educational content. Local wisdom gives sustainability messages cultural legitimacy and acceptance among communities and visitors. Unequal digital literacy among local tourism actors and pressure on traditional practices from commercialization remain challenges. The study concludes that the credibility of green tourism communication depends on the match between what destinations say and what they do, and that participatory and culturally grounded communication may help narrow that gap.

Keywords

Green Tourism; Tourism Communication; Coastal Tourism; Local Wisdom; Greenwashing.

Full Text:

PDF

References

Armutcu, B., Tan, A., Amponsah, M., Parida, S., & Ramkissoon, H. (2023). Tourist behaviour: The role of digital marketing and social media. Acta Psychologica, 240, 104025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2023.104025

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2022). Conceptual and design thinking for thematic analysis. Qualitative Psychology, 9(1), 3–26. https://doi.org/10.1037/qup0000196

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2023). Toward good practice in thematic analysis: Avoiding common problems and be(com)ing a knowing researcher. International Journal of Transgender Health, 24(1), 1–6. https://doi.org/10.1080/26895269.2022.2129597

Čuić Tanković, A., & Mušanović, J. (2022). Exploring direct and indirect effects of sustainability communication on destination reputation. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 25, 100729. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2022.100729

Dash, B., & Balamurugan, G. (2024). Sustainable tourism, livelihood and coastal governance: Chilika lake, India. Ocean & Coastal Management, 253, 107128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2024.107128

Deng, P., Zhou, X., Xie, D., & Zheng, P. (2024). How to drive tourists’ pro-environmental behavior: Interactive effect of benefit appeals and goal framing. Sustainability, 16(13), 5600. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135600

Ewart, M., Scherrer, P., & Dimmock, K. (2024). Managing commercial tourism for conservation and sustainable use: Policy instrument interactions in Cape Byron Marine Park, Australia. Marine Policy, 166, 106233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2024.106233

Fakfare, P., Manosuthi, N., Lee, J.-S., Promsivapallop, P., Kang, H., & Han, H. (2024). Eliciting small island tourists’ ecological protection, water conservation, and waste reduction behaviours. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 32, 100900. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2024.100900

Fan, K. H. F., Ng, S. L., & Bayrak, M. M. (2023). Appraising the community in community-based tourism. Tourism Geographies, 25(2–3), 594–614. https://doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2021.1943702

Frías-Jamilena, D. M., Polo-Peña, A. I., Peco-Torres, F., & Sabiote-Ortíz, C. M. (2024). Can co-creating a “slow destination” image boost sustainability? Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 32, 100898. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2024.100898

Hafezi, F., Bijani, M., Gholamrezai, S., Savari, M., & Panzer-Krause, S. (2023). Towards sustainable community-based ecotourism: A qualitative content analysis. Science of the Total Environment, 891, 164411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164411

Huang, Z., Weng, L., & Bao, J. (2022). How do visitors respond to sustainable tourism interpretations? A further investigation into content and media format. Tourism Management, 92, 104535. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2022.104535

Jiang, J., Gao, B. W., & Su, X. (2022). Antecedents of tourists’ environmentally responsible behavior: The perspective of awe. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 619815. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.619815

Kim, M., & Pennington-Gray, L. (2025). Enhancing pro-environmental behaviors in tourism: Communication strategies rooted in elaboration factors. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 64, 101317. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2025.101317

Lee, T. H., & Jan, F.-H. (2023). How do smart tourism experiences affect visitors’ environmentally responsible behavior? Influence analysis of nature-based tourists in Taiwan. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 55, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2023.02.016

Li, J., Huang, L., He, M., & Ye, B. H. (2023). Understanding pro-environmental behavior in tourism: Developing an experimental model. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 57, 213–224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2023.10.005

Lin, M.-T., Zhu, D., Liu, C., & Kim, P. B. (2022). A meta-analysis of antecedents of pro-environmental behavioral intention of tourists and hospitality consumers. Tourism Management, 93, 104566. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2022.104566

Liu, J., Li, J., Jang, S. C., & Zhao, Y. (2022). Understanding tourists’ environmentally responsible behavior at coastal tourism destinations. Marine Policy, 143, 105178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2022.105178

Marchi, V., Marasco, A., & Apicerni, V. (2023). Sustainability communication of tourism cities: A text mining approach. Cities, 143, 104590. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2023.104590

Mihalic, T. (2024). Trends in sustainable tourism paradigm: Resilience and adaptation. Sustainability, 16(17), 7838. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16177838

Molina, R., Di Paola, G., Manno, G., Panicciari, A., Anfuso, G., & Cooper, A. (2023). A DAPSI(W)R(M) framework approach to characterization of environmental issues in touristic coastal systems: An example from Southern Spain. Ocean & Coastal Management, 244, 106797. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2023.106797

Papagiannakis, G. E., Vlachos, P. A., Koritos, C. D., & Kassinis, G. I. (2024). Are publicly traded tourism and hospitality providers greenwashing? Tourism Management, 103, 104893. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2024.104893

Peeters, P., Çakmak, E., & Guiver, J. (2024). Current issues in tourism: Mitigating climate change in sustainable tourism research. Tourism Management, 100, 104820. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2023.104820

Quang, T. D., Nguyen, Q. X. T., Nguyen, H. V., Dang, V. Q., & Tang, N. T. (2023). Toward sustainable community-based tourism development: Perspectives from local people in Nhon Ly coastal community, Binh Dinh province, Vietnam. PLOS ONE, 18(10), e0287522. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0287522

Radjabov, O., Davronov, I. O., Boltayeva, M., Ashurova, M., & Navruz-Zoda, L. (2025). Prospects of using strategic communication in sustainable tourism promotion. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 7, 1623121. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2025.1623121

Rantsia, M., Garrod, B., Sthapit, E., & Pesonen, J. (2023). Impact of sustainability communication on German tourists’ willingness to pay for a Finnish cottage holiday. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 23(4), 283–299. https://doi.org/10.1080/15022250.2023.2284137

Rizal, A., Riyadi, A., Haryanti, Aliah, R. S., Prayogo, T., Prayitno, J., Purwanta, W., Susanto, J. P., Sofiah, N., Djayadihardja, Y. S., Ikhwanuddin, M., Wahyono, S., Yudo, S., & Sachoemar, S. I. (2022). Development of sustainable coastal benchmarks for local wisdom in Pangandaran village communities. Sustainability, 14(21), 14648. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142114648

Siegel, L. A., Tussyadiah, I., & Scarles, C. (2023). Exploring behaviors of social media-induced tourists and the use of behavioral interventions as salient destination response strategy. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 27, 100765. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2023.100765

Suleman, M. A., Syed, J., & Koburtay, T. (2024). A structure and agency perspective of sustainable tourism. Current Issues in Tourism, 27(14), 2199–2216. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2024.2302072

Taecharungroj, V., Vasiljević, Đ., & Pattaratanakun, A. (2024). Snapshots of nature: Harnessing Flickr data to frame sustainable brand positioning strategies for Thailand’s national parks. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 46, 100765. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2024.100766

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36256/ijtl.v7i2.631