The aim of this study is to explore the potential extending of floating net
cage (known as karamba in local term) benefits as tourism attractions. By extending
the benefit of karamba as a tourism attraction, the impact of aquaqulture to lake
ecology and quality of water can be reduced. In the last decade, tourism has evolved
into sustainable tourism activity by making nature and culture as primary object.
Therefore, tourism is also trusted can be overcome the ecological problems of
Maninjau lake that caused by karamba aquaqulture. The research was conducted in
nagari around the Maninjau lake area during 2016-2017. Data wer collected through
semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. The results indicate that
karamba has the potential to be developed as a tourism activity through the
participation of karamba practitioners as tourism operators. However, the type of
participation cannot be entirely spontaneous type, but induced participation type is
also needed to develop the karamba tourism. Several strategies and challenges in
developing karamba tourism are identified.
Key words: karamba tourism, sustainable tourism, participation