The viability of state-led policy in tourism for sustainable livelihood: the case of Indonesia's super-priority destination

Purpose – Understanding the impact of state-led tourism policies on Indigenous people’s livelihoods iscritical for implementing sustainable tourism practices that benefit both environmental preservation and thepeople who rely on it. This study aims to examine Mandalika’s state-led tourism policy and local sustainablelivelihood challenges.Design/methodology/approach – This study employs qualitative research methods, primarily collectingdata from primary sources through interviews with key informants. We supplemented the interview data withan analysis of governmental and statistical documents.Findings – State-led policy failed to adapt to the needs of Indigenous people, while large-scale tourismsignificantly altered agricultural land. This policy strengthens administrative coordination and convergence butweakens local issue sensitivity by focusing on national goals. The host government strictly controls state-ledprojects.Originality/value – This study challenges the assumption that tourism development always leads toprosperity for local populations. Because tourism is complex and involves many stakeholders, this studysuggests combining local settings with a state-led policy to reduce downsides while maximising benefits. Toincrease compatibility, a hybrid, state-led tourism policy with localised adjustments is required.