I went to Wakatobi before there were any other dive centers, resorts, or liveaboards there. It was a smaller place back then. Before Wakatobi had the airstrip built on the neighboring island, it took days to get there, and the itinerary was complex. There was no electicity before Wakatobi brought in the technology, and the locals had no idea that eco-tourism would, or even could, earn them more money than illegal fishing could.
I give a lot of props to Wakatobi, not only for supporting ecologically sustainable tourism, but also for modernizing life for the locals with more money for schools and health initiatives as well as providing job opportunities.
And yes, I'd go back, and pay the rates
• for the convenience of a flight there (a couple of hours from Bali) as opposed to all kinds of boats, vans, and buses (30+ hours from Bali)
• for the great dive center (Nitrox on demand, camera room, etc.)
• for the very professional dive staff (at a place that remote I want to have every confidence that the dive staff is up to standards in terms of rescue, first aid, O2 provision, etc.)
What I'm saying is that it's not really just all about the diving, and it's not about being high-maintenance. There's an entire infrastructure that needs to be in place not only for comfort, but also for safety.