Multiple governmentalities and mangrove ecotourism destination governance in the Batam Islands

This study examines the governance of mangrove ecotourism in the Batam Islands, Indonesia, using Foucauldian governmentality theory. As mangrove degradation intensifies, ecotourism has been promoted to balance conservation and development. Based on qualitative data from observations, interviews, and focus groups, this study identifies four distinct forms of governmentality: sovereign, manifested in top-down land-use policies; disciplinary, evident in environmental education enforcing conservation norms and ecotourism values; neoliberal, reflected in eco-entrepreneurship and tourism marketing that shape ‘environmental subjects’; and truth, embodied in scientific discourse and standardised practices. These overlapping rationalities reveal contradictions where economic imperatives dominate, while local participation remains tokenistic. The findings contribute to debates on neoliberal conservation by showing how regulatory regimes reproduce socio-environmental inequalities. The paper argues for reimagining mangrove ecotourism governance beyond market-centric approaches to advance justice, equity, and sustainability.