In an effort to support the development of sustainable tourism in Indonesia, the WWF Indonesia Foundation makes it happen through the Signing Blue program. On 15 and 17 December 2021, Signing Blue carried out outreach activities aimed at expanding information regarding the Signing Blue program, especially in tourism destinations. This activity was divided into two sessions, where the first session was conducted offline and focused on the Labuan Bajo area which was carried out together with the West Manggarai Tourism and Culture Office by inviting the Labuan Bajo Flores Authority Executing Body, and was attended by Signing Blue members to express their views directly about sustainable tourism and several activities that have been carried out during Signing Blue membership. The second session was conducted for business actors located in Alor.
The socialization activity for the Signing Blue program in Labuan Bajo is in line with the vision of the Labuan Bajo Flores Authority Executing Body to make Labuan Bajo a World Class Sustainable Super Priority Tourism Destination. The WWF-Indonesia Foundation together with the Tourism and Culture Office of West Manggarai Regency carried out an outreach activity in conjunction with the Annual Meeting Signing Blue in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai Regency at the Puri Sari Hotel. This activity involved 28 participants representing elements of the tourism pentahelix (Government, Academics, Business World Industry, Communities/Associations, and Media).
Activities are also in accordance with the mission and position of the Department of Tourism and Culture of West Manggarai Regency. "One mission of the West Manggarai Regency Tourism and Culture Office is the Journey to Sustainability or Journey to Sustainability, namely Developing Tourism in a Sustainable and Inclusive way as the Main Driver of the Economy," said Acting Plt. The Head of the West Manggarai Regency Tourism and Culture Office, Chrispinianus Mesima, when giving his presentation on the West Manggarai Regency Government Program in the Development of Labuan Bajo Super Priority Tourism Destinations. "Signing Blue can be included as one of the lighters that can remind the tourism industry to stay on the path of sustainable practices in tourism development." he added.
Exposure from Plt. The Head of the West Manggarai Regency Tourism and Culture Office is in line with the reason behind the Signing Blue initiation since 2013, namely to accommodate tourism actors and tourists to realize responsible marine tourism. By adopting the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) program, Signing Blue is a partner for tourism business actors, activists and services to ensure sustainable marine tourism practices are implemented consistently, and ultimately improve the quality of the environment, society , as well as strengthening the local economy.
Shana Fatina, as Main Director of the Labuan Bajo Flores Authority Tourism Agency (BPOLBF), was also present to give a presentation on the Labuan Bajo Super Priority Tourism Destination Development Program. He said, "Signing Blue can enter and assist on top issues of Labuan Bajo tourism development to achieve the vision of BPOLBF (Labuan Bajo as a World Class Sustainable Super Priority Tourism Destination), namely the integration of sustainable infrastructure, human resources & local contributions, and supply of commodities food supporting tourism”.
I Gede Dananjaya Bagaskara, from the Signing Blue Secretariat, explained that the background for the Signing Blue initiation by the WWF Indonesia Foundation was tourism activities which so far have contributed to massive economic growth, on the other hand it has also had an impact on the environment and socio-culture. Therefore, the concept of sustainable tourism has become a necessity because the tendency of people to choose eco-friendly tourism is quite high. Currently, Signing Blue has reached 130 members spread throughout Indonesia and 4 of them are in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai Regency, namely Hotel Puri Sari, Divine Diving, Dive Komodo, and Flores Diving Centre.
Chairman of the West Manggarai Indonesian Tour Guide Association (HPI), Sebastian Pandang, gave a response to the Signing Blue. He hopes that the indicators in the Signing Blue can be brought and translated into local government regulations so that they can be sustainable. The target of Signing Blue members will also be better if it is expanded not only to focus on star hotels, but also must be able to target non-star hotels because these non-star hotels are no less competitive in their commitment to implementing sustainable tourism. This is a response to the Signing Blue from the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) as well as a representative from the Flamingo Avia Hotel, Irene Tokan.
The same thing was done in Alor, where the socialization of the Signing Blue program in Alor was attended by more than 14 business actors consisting of accommodation, dive operators and trip operators. The activity began with an explanation of the Signing Blue program by the Signing Blue Secretariat, namely I Gede Dananjaya Bagaskara. Until now, there are 2 Signing Blue members in Alor, however, their commitment to creating sustainable tourism is very high. This can be seen from the results of the mentoring and evaluation carried out by the WWF Indonesia Foundation and Signing Blue, where the members showed increased commitment and action to meet the Signing Blue standards which consist of environmental, socio-cultural and economic aspects, as well as management effectiveness.
This activity also invited Mika as Field Manager from Mala Tours, Mika explained the program that had been carried out by Mala Tours to realize sustainable tourism in accordance with the results of assistance from the WWF Indonesia Foundation. Some of the activities that have been carried out by Mala Tours are initiating the formation of Alor Tourist Guides (ATG), assisting communication strategies for developing dugong conservation and tourist villages in Alor, as well as several other activities on the international stage such as being selected as a participant in the RISE Inc (Rich and Impactful Social Enterprise Incubator) and the ENPACT (Empowering Entrepreneur Initiative) program where this program is a collaboration with the German Government and the TUI Foundation. Great hopes from Mala Tours to move together with all business actors in Alor to realize sustainable tourism, and change the mindset of tourists that sustainable tourism is affordable.
The results of this socialization received positive responses from prospective Signing Blue members, where based on the results of the questionnaires that had been distributed to participants, all business services had a high interest in improving their business services into sustainable tourism to realize sustainable tourism in Alor. After the socialization of the Signing Blue Program, it is hoped that more actors, activists and tourism business services will join in implementing sustainable tourism practices so that efforts to realize sustainable tourism can be achieved.
For more information about the Signing Blue program and activities that have been carried out by members in realizing sustainable marine tourism in Indonesia, see the Signing Blue website www.signingblue.com
The island of Bali is a tourist destination that is second to none. Seminyak Beach, in Kuta Bali with a calm atmosphere is a strategic location for various social and personal activities, one of which is surfing, attracting Surfers from all around the world. Located right on the coast of Seminyak, Kuta, which is one of the favorite beaches for both foreign and domestic tourists, direct access to the beach makes The Haven Bali Seminyak a favorite stopover place.
The Haven Bali Seminyak was opened in September 2009 with nature-like character, but with a modern touch. The Haven Bali Seminyak runs an environmentally friendly concept and pays close attention to the social culture of Bali.
The Haven Bali Seminyak is a pioneer of lifestyle accommodation in Bali that offers a 3 in 1 hotel concept, namely hotels, suites and villas consisting of 96 hotel rooms, 60 suites, and 6 villa units complete with private swimming pools. The hotel is within walking distance to Bali's most exciting nightlife, boutiques, restaurants and some of the famous beaches.
Since its inception, The Haven Bali Seminyak has a concept that focuses on environmental sustainability and socio-economic development. The Haven Bali Seminyak has succeeded in obtaining the Emerald III certificate from Tri Hita Karana, a foundation that accredits sustainability in the hotel environment as a player in the tourism industry in Bali. Not only that, in 2018 The Haven Bali Seminyak succeeded in becoming a member of Signing Blue, the brainchild of WWF-Indonesia related to the improvement of marine tourism. The Haven Bali Seminyak is active in several associations, namely the Bali Province Hotel and Restaurant Association (PHRI) and the Bali Hotel Association (BHA).
Coastal cleaning activities and cleaning of the surrounding area to maintain environmental cleanliness are routinely carried out by The Haven Bali Seminyak and in coordination with the PHRI and BHA associations on World Clean Up Day and The Biggest Beach Clean Up. A series of activities related to environmental sustainability are routinely carried out when celebrating the anniversary of The Haven Bali Seminyak, such as releasing Tukik (sea turtles) on Seminyak beach and renewing the Reading Park in Tianyar, Karangasem for social aspects. Not only that, The Haven Bali Seminyak also carried out a reforestation program, namely planting coconut trees on Serangan Beach. The Haven Bali Seminyak routinely carries out activities related to environmental and social sustainability, in line with the Tri Hita Karana and Signing Blue programs.
Environmentally friendly actions have been carried out throughout The Haven Bali Seminyak area, especially in the rooms and in the Sabeen restaurant. There are no longer any room amenities in single-use packaging. The Haven Bali Seminyak has replaced mineral water in single-use plastic bottles with mineral water in refillable glass bottles. There are signs urging guests to use water and electricity only as needed. At Sabeen, a restaurant owned by The Haven Bali Seminyak, they no longer use plastic straws and styrofoam or single-use plastic packaging. As stated by I Ketut Adi, Human Capital Manager of The Haven Bali Seminyak, “We are no longer using single-use materials such as plastic straws, plastic packaging or Styrofoam. We replace them with environmentally friendly materials as directed by the Bali provincial government, one of which is the Sabeen Signature Besek program for take away packaging, this is our effort in addition to being environmentally friendly as well as supporting the local economy.” Environmental sustainability efforts are also carried out in the kitchen area of The Haven Bali Seminyak, by empowering local entrepreneurs to supply vegetables and fruits. The Haven Bali Seminyak also utilizes several areas in the garden for vegetable gardening such as bok-choy, kale, carrots, lemongrass, and many more.
The Haven Bali Seminyak made various energy conservation efforts, one of these efforts is by replacing conventional light bulbs with Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). The Haven Bali Seminyak uses motion sensors in suite rooms to detect motion and if no motion is detected, the electricity will automatically turn off. In addition, The Haven Bali Seminyak has used a Variable Refrigerant Volume (VRV) system for its air conditioning system. A high initial investment, but there will be significant electricity savings. As Putu Budi, Chief Engineering, The Haven Bali Seminyak, said, "The investment in switching from a conventional air conditioning system to a VRV air conditioning system is quite high, but savings of 30% can be felt every month."
In addition to energy conservation efforts, The Haven Bali Seminyak has also made efforts in water conservation. The use of a water filtration system throughout the hotel can save a significant amount of water. The Haven Bali Seminyak refers to the Environment and Hygiene Service (DLHK) of the province of Bali, using two different water systems, namely in collaboration with the Regional Drinking Water Company (PDAM) and an independent underground water system. The underground water tank has been installed with a filtration system and is directly distributed to the swimming pool and bathroom without compromising guest comfort, this saves water usage by up to 30%. Water conservation efforts do not stop there, The Haven Bali Seminyak has 17 points of Biopori holes and five points of infiltration wells. All staff and guests have been educated on energy and water conservation efforts for environmental sustainability.
To minimize the carbon footprint and pollution to the surrounding environment, The Haven Bali Seminyak tests and monitors bad emissions from generators, this is performed annually by DLHK Bali. The Haven Bali Seminyak generator set is categorized as suitable for use and meets DLHK standards. Further effort to minimize environmental pollution carried out by The Haven Bali Seminyak is to reduce dirty water waste by establishing good cooperation with the Denpasar Sewage Development Project (DSDP) institution.
The Haven Bali Seminyak has good waste management and divides its waste into three categories, namely dry waste, wet waste, and B3 waste. With good cooperation with the environmental cleanliness management of the Seminyak Traditional Village, dry waste and wet waste are handed over to the Village, then The Haven Bali Seminyak receives compost to be used in the Hotel gardens. Regarding the replacement of mineral water in single-use plastic bottles for mineral water in glass bottles, there are further savings in terms of waste transport, as stated by Putu Budi, Chief Engineering, The Haven Bali Seminyak, “In the past we used mineral water in single-use plastic bottles and there is an additional fee for transporting the garbage. Now we use glass bottles where we buy glass bottles the first time only and do refills. The savings are almost 50% per month when compared to the past.”
To run a hotel with a sustainable tourism concept, The Haven Bali Seminyak is friendly to special needs guests. The hotel is equipped with a special bathroom for people with disabilities, a special ramp for wheelchairs, and has a special room located close to the lobby and restaurant.
In terms of helping the development and promotion of Balinese culture, The Haven Bali Seminyak does several things such as collaborating with besek craftsmen who produce Sabeen Signature Besek packaging, this gives special memories to guests, both restaurant visitors and overnight guests. Another effort to promote local culture is the activity of making canang, a Balinese offering made of various flowers and coconut leaves, to guests staying at The Haven on Nyepi Day.
The Haven Bali Seminyak together with the management of PHM Hotels conduct a program which is held once a year in October, called OctobArt. Collaborating with local Balinese painters to display their paintings in the hotel area. Of course, it presents Indonesian regional dances, namely Javanese dances to Papuan dances, in collaboration with the local dance studios of the Seminyak Traditional Village and the staff. In 2020, The Haven Bali Seminyak will educate visitors with the theme of painting eggs, in collaboration with egg painting craftsmen of Bali.
One form of The Haven Bali Seminyak's commitment to running sustainable tourism is to employ 100% Indonesian citizens, especially locals, namely from the Seminyak Traditional Village. The Haven Bali Seminyak diligently follows Indonesian employment laws, only employing workers who are old enough and all workers have complete employment contract documents. All staff at The Haven Bali Seminyak have gone through an orientation and training process related to knowledge of all aspects of the hotel. Training related to guest satisfaction and service is routinely carried out by each department. Of course, external training is also carried out, these are held with associations related to each department, for example the Front Office department with the Hotel Frontliner Association (HFLA) in Bali and Housekeeping in the Indonesia Housekeeper Association (IHKA) - Bali. Orientation programs, internal training, and external training help increase guest satisfaction, which is why The Haven Bali Seminyak gets good reviews, both from the TrustYou system and TripAdvisor, along with several other Travel Agencies such as Agoda and Booking.com.
The Haven Bali Seminyak provides opportunities for students from Vocational High Schools (SMK) or in tourism and hospitality high schools to be able to conduct training in hotels. There are several schools that The Haven Bali Seminyak provides opportunities for training, namely SMK Negeri 4 Mengwitani, Badung and Royal Bali College located in Gianyar.
Entering the Covid-19 Pandemic, The Haven Bali Seminyak made preparations and anticipations by successfully going through the process to get a 'New Normal' certificate issued by the Bali Regional Government Tourism Office (Disparda) in August 2020, and an 'I Do Care' or Cleanliness certificate, health, Safety, and Environmentally Sustainable (CHSE) issued by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia (Kemenkraf) in November 2020. The Hotel’s Standard Operating Procedure has been updated and must be followed by all staff and guests. The addition of hand washing basins, hand sanitizers, and signs to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have been implemented. Guests are required to have their temperature checked and wash their hands before entering the hotel area. Signs for the mandatory wearing of masks, diligent hand washing, and social distancing have been placed at many points in the hotel area. The sterilization and disinfection process is routinely carried out when guests leave and rooms will be marked if they have passed the process. All staff are required to carry out testing using Rapid Antigen on a regular basis. These efforts will surely help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
The hope of The Haven Bali Seminyak when things start to return to normal is that foreign and domestic guests can start visiting the Island of the Gods as usual, so that the Legian and Seminyak areas come back to life. Various nearby tourist sites in Seminyak, such as Kuta Beach and Tanah Lot with its exotic temples, are a part of the local heritage. The Haven Bali Seminyak cannot wait to start doing activities as planned, without obstructions from the pandemic.
Labuan Bajo is world renowned to be one of the most enjoyable diving experiences. Not far from Komodo island and only a fifteen-minute ride from an international airport, Labuan Bajo’s marina hosts all sorts of maritime activities. A collection of beautiful islands can be found around Labuan Bajo, such as the island of Rinca, Komodo, Sabolo, Kanawa and Padar to name but a few. These famous islands of Flores draw interest from both local and international tourists.
PT. Dive Komodo is a marine tourism and dive operator which has been operational in Labuan Bajo since 1996, making it one of the first dive operators in Labuan Bajo. As a company ethos, Dive Komodo does not only prioritize environmental aspects but also prioritize social aspects that are in line with the Signing Blue principle - a marine tourism improvement program initiated by the WWF-Indonesia.
With the various facilities provided, visiting guests are greeted with the hospitality and warmth of the Dive Komodo’s friendly and family-oriented staff. Dive Komodo’s tourism activities began with only one boat for routine daily day trips, leaving in the morning and returning in the afternoon. Growing rapidly since the start of 2012, Dive Komodo has grown to operate three boats. This was the momentous start of the marine tourism trips, where liveaboard trips began taking tourists to sail for several days in the ocean.
Sustainable Commitments
Since the beginning, Dive Komodo has done positive things in management as a diving operator company headquartered in Labuan Bajo. Ecosystem maintenance is carried out by the staff of Dive Komodo. Moreover, in 2016 Dive Komodo joined Signing Blue which has three ideological pillars, the natural environment in terms of marine diversity and reduction of the ecological footprint, socio-cultural aspects, as well as aspects of management effectiveness.
In keeping with the mission that Dive Komodo has had since its inception, Signing Blue is the perfect complement as an internationally trusted legal entity. This shared vision has made Dive Komodo a great collaborator of Signing Blue since 2016. Dive Komodo uses a holistic approach in their principles of environmental friendliness which can be seen clearly and consistently. Maintaining and preserving the environment is carried out as a daily activity, such as beach clean-ups, using local products, saving energy and water, as well as choosing the types of fish that are suitable for consumption.
With Dive Komodo joining Signing Blue, a synergy is formed – harmonious and balanced in various principles, such as maintaining the land and sea environments, socio-cultural principles that promote local principles and local products, as well as an effective management principle that is reliable, legal, and also a good operational standard based on recommendations from the Signing Blue team. One example of a socio-economic cultural principle that has been applied by Dive Komodo is by collaborating with local craftsmen and promoting and selling their handicrafts in Dive Komodo offices. Staff training in terms of environmental care were carried out, to tackle concerns of the local community, namely West Manggarai from Ruteng, Flores. This is a positive sustainable education program to preserve nature. Dive Komodo creates Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), and training for all staff on good diving Code of Conduct, this was achieved by making manuals as a training tool. As a result, when Dive Komodo employs Dive Masters, Dive Instructors and new staff, they can train according to the set SOPs.
Various changes continue to run over time, which is a daily habit for Dive Komodo. Patrolling areas that are prone to damage caused by human behavior, including monitoring and in turn reporting to the authorities if there are illegal activities such as boats docking or fishing in the Komodo National Park area. The active collaboration between Dive Komodo and the association of Komodo dive operators (DOCK), government officials, local communities, and the nature protection community has resulted in many positive changes. In addition, Dive Komodo has applied energy saving protocols during operations at sea, reducing noise pollution and fuel consumption.
Dive Komodo recommends all staff and guests not to use or carry plastic bags, straws, and single-use drinking bottles. To make this "no single use plastic" program a success, Dive Komodo provides water dispensers in their offices and on board their boats. If there is single-use plastic waste, it will be collected and taken to designated waste management agencies. Dive Komodo also has a good waste management policy that is implemented in their offices as well as on their boats. They have implemented waste separation and collaborated with local waste and recycling companies assisted by WWF-Indonesia at their Labuan Bajo site. Dive Komodo separates waste in the following categories: paper, hard plastic, glass bottles and metals, before handing over the waste to a recycling company. Dive Komodo collects general waste to be taken by the local waste processing entrepreneurs to the Final Disposal Site (TPA). Some of the organic waste is taken home by staff to be used as compost, as a result, there is no waste left in offices or on the boats. Before the pandemic, Dive Komodo participated in organizing weekly beach clean ups with Trash Hero. During the pandemic, Dive Komodo collaborated with Trash Hero in educating children and the local community on marine animals, including coral reefs. Dive Komodo dive staff and instructors also regularly attend these classes.
Other sustainability efforts done by Dive Komodo are planning trips which utilize ocean currents to reduce carbon footprint by optimizing fuel usage, minimizing the use of speedboats whenever possible in order to reduce noise and light pollution that can disrupt marine animal groups that live at Manta and Turtle dive sites. Dive Komodo is an active participant in several communities such as Trash Hero, the Komodo Dive Operator Community (DOCK), and also with the government for beach cleaning and underwater cleaning activities. One form of cooperation with the government is related to safety and the environment, where SOPs are created for diving and snorkeling. For example, everyone is prohibited from collecting things related to underwater animals and prohibited from damaging coral reefs.
Dive Komodo is committed in shaping a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) effort in environmental issues by helping the Manta Watch community as well as the research community to train and get diving certificates for related parties without taking any proceeds of such activities. Dive Komodo has also made significant improvements in its food division by regularly conducting training sessions with cooks for its three boats and holding meeting sessions to discuss sustainable and suitable seafood options. To avoid endangering fish populations, Dive Komodo buys seafood from the local fish market with very strict conditions, namely by selecting and measuring fish that are considered adults (more than thirty-six centimeters). Also, by altogether avoiding some sensitive and endangered species, complying with the Signing Blue standard. As quoted from Ms. Sofia Tedestam as Dive Manager, “We do not include Grouper in our menu because they are an endangered species according to the IUCN. We prefer live school fish that are of sufficient age and size according to Signing Blue's Seafood Advisor standards and guidelines.”
Dive Komodo melakukan bersih-bersih pantai bersama wisatawan
Sumbder: Dive Komodo
Adapting During a Pandemic
“Since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020, we have seen a decrease in income and guest arrivals”, as stated by Mr. Frans. X. Suhardi as General Manager at Dive Komodo, "Normally we have many guests, but since this pandemic situation it has decreased drastically. But on the other hand, joining Signing Blue has a very positive impact in maintaining positive criteria and values in marine tourism."
The CHSE standard in terms of health protocol standard is currently a top priority for Dive Komodo staff, such as washing hands at all times, wearing masks during various activities, and also social distancing, all of which are done in order to maintain personal health as well as the surrounding environment. By maintaining cleanliness and health according to the CHSE standards set by the government, the staff also feel safe and comfortable when working at Dive Komodo. With optimism itself and the plan to reopen activities for tourism from the central government makes people eager and excited to go through this pandemic. One of the efforts that has been and continues to be made by Dive Komodo is to continue being active on social media, as a platform to create awareness, provide examples of good behavior on board and whilst diving, and to share information about biodiversity and the environment to the public, potential tourists, and divers so that they can behave properly and responsibly at dive sites, especially in Komodo National Park.
Dive Komodo has several active social media accounts through Instagram @divekomodo, Facebook Dive Komodo, and Pinterest Dive Komodo. On these platforms, Dive Komodo can share information and attract local people, tourists, as well as local communities to participate in beach cleaning and underwater cleaning. During this Pandemic, social media also plays an important role in showing the public, especially prospective divers, that Dive Komodo is still operating and has implemented health procedures set by the government. Registration and selection of diving trips by Dive Komodo can also be done through their website at www.divekomodo.com.
The hopes of Dive Komodo in the future is to be able to carry out activities as usual, where foreign and local tourists can return to Labuan Bajo to dive. Other activities that have been awaited to be carried out are beach and deep sea cleaning activities in the waters of Komodo National Park so that they remain clean and the natural preservation is maintained. Especially with the dedication and presence of Dive Komodo and staffs who are trained in practicing responsible tourism, and maintaining the underwater beauty of Labuan Bajo and the Komodo islands. Optimistically, there is hope that more and more tourists will be able to enjoy the extraordinary landscape views, the sensation of underwater currents, and encountering exotic animals in the near future.
Eastern Indonesia is a marine tourism destination that is in demand by domestic and foreign tourists. One of them is a group of islands in East Nusa Tenggara with Labuan Bajo as the prima donna. Labuan Bajo has become a well-known dive site due to the diversity of its marine habitats. Various kinds of beautiful islands are in the surrounding waters, such as Rinca, Komodo, Sabolo, Kanawa, Padar and many more. Amazing diving sites located around the islands make Labuan Bajo an icon of marine tourism that cannot be underestimated by the world.
PT Divine Diving was founded in 2006, started as a small company with a vision of providing high quality services and creating an unforgettable experience for all diving tourists. Divine Diving is a dive operator company that has a mission to not only provide the best service but also to be a company that focuses on environmental conservation as well as striving to be sustainable in reducing the harmful ecological footprint affecting the surrounding environment.
Divine Diving invites tourists to take nautical trips as well as dives with a day package called daily trips, as well as several day trips or commonly referred to as 'live aboard' in various interesting dive sites around the waters of Komodo National Park, all by environmentally friendly boats. Solar panels are used to support electricity needs of the boat, such as water pumps, ship lights, and other needs. Divine Diving routinely cleans the hulls of its ships to keep it clean and free of particles, dirt, and algae adhering to it, maximizing speed and in turn optimizing fuel usage. This effort has minimized the use of fossil fuel, reducing the ecological footprint significantly.
After diving, tourists are catered to a food menu prepared by Divine Diving's chefs which can accommodate dietary needs of various lifestyles such as lactose-free and gluten-free. The food raw materials are obtained in fresh conditions. The fish consumed are from local fishermen who have made a written statement to Divine Diving that their fish are in accordance with fishing standards and procedures, namely fishing outside the conservation area and only catching fish that are fit for consumption.
Divine Diving participated in the success of the “no single use plastic” program by providing drinking water dispensers at their office and boats, even if there was single-use plastic waste, it would be collected to be taken to respective waste managers when on land. By not providing any plastic bottles and having a drinking water dispenser, Divine Diving informs its guests to bring their own drinking water container so that if guests need drinking water, they can simply have a refill.
Since the beginning, Divine Diving has carried out beach cleaning activities. Communities and partners such as Trash Hero, Shark Guardian, Manta Watch and Guy's Trust are some examples of communities and foundations working with Divine Diving. Some days of note are, World Ocean Day, Ocean Clean Up and Beach Clean Up Day.
Divine Diving is highly aware that in order to progress positively on environmental cleanliness takes a lot of time. Therefore, conducting educational activities with local schools are useful in educating the next generation to preserve the natural resources of Labuan Bajo and its surroundings. As stated by Marij Aben, the owner of Divine Diving, "I realize that to be able to move forward to overcome this waste problem will take a lot of time, therefore we also carry out educational activities with local schools to educate the next generation to preserve Labuan Bajo's natural resources." Since then, real progress can be felt from the initiative of Divine Diving.
Apart from Divine Diving's efforts in making the "No Single Use Plastic" program a success and cleaning beaches with communities to control waste, Divine Diving implements good waste management at their office and on its boats. Divine Diving sorts its waste into three categories, namely recycled non-organic waste such as paper, non-recyclable non-organic waste such as glass and plastic, and organic waste such as food waste and leaves. Recyclable organic waste is generally taken home by Divine Diving staff to make compost. Then the non-organic waste, both recyclable and non-recyclable, will be given to a local waste company chosen and trusted by Divine Diving.
In addition to collaborating with local waste companies, buying fish from local fishermen, and buying food raw materials from local communities, Divine Diving also collaborates with several local businesses both in Labuan Bajo and other islands in Indonesia. Divine Diving promotes souvenirs such as wooden crafts from Komodo Island and from other islands in Indonesia. In addition, Divine Diving also collaborates with a sunscreen brand from Lombok that is environmentally friendly and safe for coral reefs. To work with local hotels, Divine Diving is quite selective because it must have certain criteria that must be met, namely the environmental friendliness aspect. One of the local hotels trusted by Divine Diving is Hotel Puri Sari because it meets the criteria and is proven to be environmentally friendly.
Buying Food from Local Market
Sumber: Divine Diving
In addition to environmental aspects that are prioritized, socio-economic aspects are also carried out. All office staff members and dive masters at Divine Diving are locals of West Manggarai and are responsible for all aspects of the business from the office to boat operations.
Joining Signing Blue
In accordance with Divine Diving's vision and mission to commit to environmental harmony in its role as a marine tourism operator, in 2017 Divine Diving joined as a member of Signing Blue, a program initiated by the WWF-Indonesia. This program has three pillars, these are, aspects of the natural environment whether on land or at sea, socio-cultural aspects, and aspects of management effectiveness. Divine Diving is awarded 4 Starfish, one of the best achievements of Divine Diving.
Some of the benefits that Divine Diving felt after becoming a member of Signing Blue is to learn more about the socio-economic aspect, the environment, ecological footprint reduction, and how to manage the company sustainably. Signing Blue has many trusted dive operator guidelines to both help and educate companies, tourists as well as the general public on the ecological system.
Since joining Signing Blue, there have been many positive and beneficial impacts for Divine Diving as a well-known dive operator in the Labuan Bajo area. One of them is making a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on the conservation of marine mammals, biodiversity and the natural environment, as well as gaining international trust in the business sector. “I created a manual that contains various important information for our operations. Divine Diving has helped a lot in terms of saving marine mammals and other animals. This has allowed us to succeed in getting a 4 Starfish rating from Signing Blue,” said Marij Aben as owner of PT Divine Diving.
In terms of management effectiveness, Divine Diving has educated and trained staff, crew and employees to dive instructor level competence. So, it can be said that Divine Diving's staff are professionals in accordance with guidelines from Signing Blue to operate in the current line of marine tourism business, especially in the diving sector. All Divine Diving staff have also been well educated to always be aware of hazards and pay attention to maintain health and safety protocols, namely strict rules in the engine room regarding operational procedures and the First Aid in Accident (P3K) box is always available in case of an emergency. The 'basic safety training' that Divine Diving has conducted internally has been certified by an accredited authority in handling various safety scenarios. If something happens, the company believes that the staff can handle the emergency well, calmly and professionally.
Adapting During a Pandemic
The Cleanliness Health Safety and Environment Sustainability (CHSE) standard as a health protocol standard is a top priority for Divine Diving during the pandemic. To maintain each other's health, wearing masks in various activities, regularly washing hands, as well as conducting social distancing measures are performed.
Divine Diving has created a new SOP for diving equipment during the pandemic. Previously, guests would have tried diving equipment in the dive equipment area and the staff would bring the equipment to the boat. During this pandemic, guests must inform the staff in advance of the size they want to use, and the staff will wash the tools with an environmentally friendly cleaning solution made from lime juice and leaves. During diving activities, guests are encouraged to bring cleaned diving equipment to the boat.
On board the boat, the CHSE protocol is always reminded by Divine Diving staff, these include, checking body temperature, maintaining a safe a distance, wearing masks, and washing hands with soap or hand sanitizer. Upon completion of the dive, guests are expected to bring their diving equipment to their respective stops and wash the equipment with water and return it the next day.
Divine Diving has several active and useful social media accounts, namely Instagram @divinedivingkomodo, Facebook Divine Diving Komodo Flores and the website www.divinediving.com. On these platforms, Divine Diving can share information and attract local people, tourists and local communities about environmental conservation, especially the underwater environment.
Divine Diving's hope after the 'new normal' is to be able to carry out activities as usual, where foreign tourists can return to Labuan Bajo and do fun diving activities and marine conservation activities. In the hopes that the waters of Komodo National Park remain beautiful and thrive sustainably.
