MARINE TOURISM IN MALAYSIA: ENSURING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33102/z8fk9r40Keywords:
Marine tourism, sustainable development, conservation law, MalaysiaAbstract
Marine tourism plays a vital role in Malaysia’s economic development, drawing both domestic and international visitors to its biodiverse coastal and island ecosystems. However, this rapid growth raises serious concerns regarding environmental sustainability, including coral reef degradation, marine pollution, and overexploitation of resources. This paper examines the legal and policy framework governing marine tourism in Malaysia, highlighting key legislation, including the Environmental Quality Act 1974, the Fisheries Act 1985, and the Exclusive Economic Zone Act 1984, as well as relevant state enactments in Sabah and Sarawak. It further examines how international commitments, particularly the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals and the Coral Triangle Initiative, influence domestic conservation strategies. Through zoning, licensing, and enforcement mechanisms, Malaysia seeks to balance economic benefits with environmental protection. The paper also assesses the role of sustainable and regenerative tourism practices in ensuring long-term ecological and socio-economic viability, including community-based initiatives and conservation-linked tourism such as shark diving in Semporna. Despite these efforts, challenges persist in the form of weak inter-agency coordination, enforcement gaps, limited awareness, and uneven benefit distribution among coastal communities. The study concludes by emphasizing the need for integrated governance, community empowerment, and environmental education to achieve sustainable marine tourism that supports both ecological resilience and inclusive development.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Harraveendrran A/L Ravindran, Ahmad Rafif Fakhri Mohd Sukri, Albertini Bugat Anak July, Arisha Mohd Ariff Mochtaruddin, Nur Khalidah Dahlan
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