Poverty Reduction Through Adaptive Social Protection and Spatial Poverty Model in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia’s National Strategic Tourism Areas

Ardiyanto Gai (), Rustiadi Ernan, Akhmad Fauzi, Baba Barus and Dekka Putra
Additional contact information
Ardiyanto Gai: Urban and Regional Planning, Faculity Civil Engginering and Planning, Institut Teknologi Nasional Malang, Malang 65152, Indonesia
Rustiadi Ernan: Regional and Rural Development Planning Science, Faculty of Economics and Management, IPB University, Jl. Raya Darmaga Kampus IPB, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
Akhmad Fauzi: Regional and Rural Development Planning Science, Faculty of Economics and Management, IPB University, Jl. Raya Darmaga Kampus IPB, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
Baba Barus: Regional and Rural Development Planning Science, Faculty of Economics and Management, IPB University, Jl. Raya Darmaga Kampus IPB, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
Dekka Putra: Urban and Regional Planning, Faculity Civil Engginering and Planning, Institut Teknologi Nasional Malang, Malang 65152, Indonesia

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 2, 1-17

Abstract: Despite Indonesia’s significant economic progress, certain regions, such as West Manggarai Regency in East Nusa Tenggara, continue to face persistent poverty challenges. While strategic tourism initiatives in Labuan Bajo have spurred regional development, the benefits have not reached local communities equitably, highlighting a disconnect between economic growth and community well-being. Addressing this gap requires an integrated approach that links social protection, disaster risk reduction, climate adaptation, and economic diversification. This paper proposes an adaptive social protection (ASP) framework that aims to increase the resilience of vulnerable populations by integrating social protection systems with disaster preparedness and sustainable economic strategies. The research critically examines the Regional Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMD) of Kabupaten Manggarai Barat (2021–2026), identifying existing policy gaps and opportunities for improvement. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study used cluster mapping and geographically weighted regression analysis to model and visualise poverty distribution alongside infrastructure conditions. These findings will inform the design of a targeted ASP programme to reduce poverty and build resilience to economic and environmental shocks. By aligning with sustainable development principles, the proposed framework addresses the dual goals of poverty reduction and disaster risk reduction. This study provides actionable recommendations for local governments to strengthen social protection mechanisms, promote inclusive economic growth, and ensure equitable distribution of tourism benefits. The findings provide a policy blueprint for promoting sustainable and inclusive development in West Manggarai Regency, with implications for similar contexts in other regions.

Keywords: adaptive social protection; poverty reduction; national tourism; Labuan Bajo (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/2/555/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/2/555/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:2:p:555-:d:1565524

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().