Participating in the UGM Community Service Program (KKN-PPM) for approximately 50 days provides a unique opportunity for UGM students to apply their knowledge in real life.
This includes implementing ideas and initiatives to develop resource potential with the existing human capital in these areas.
Hafid Argama Putra, a student at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (Fisipol UGM), shared his experience conducting KKN-PPM in Kampar Regency, Riau.
His team focused on developing micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and tourism, which he considered crucial given Kampar’s numerous tourist attractions, such as ancient temples.
One of the solutions proposed by the KKN-PPM team was packaging tourism destinations, developing homestay businesses, and promoting local MSME products.
According to Putra, their work programs were driven by the scattered locations of tourist spots, accommodations, and MSME stalls offering local snacks.
To address this, the students proposed a tour package that allowed visitors to enjoy tourist sites alongside cultural products and souvenirs in one location.
“We wanted to add appeal beyond the tourist attractions themselves. For instance, having MSME stalls offering Kampar’s traditional foods at the attractions so visitors can enjoy multiple experiences at once,” Putra explained.
He further stated that the program would benefit various components of the tourism industry by increasing visitor interest in shopping.
By bundling tourist destinations with MSMEs and homestays, tourists no longer need to travel far to enjoy Kampar’s different attractions.
A similar situation was found in Banggai Regency, Central Sulawesi, which also boasts numerous fascinating tourist destinations.
Muhammad Yadaikasalam Hibatulloh, another Fisipol UGM student, explained that Banggai has many natural attractions that are underexplored and less known to the public.
To address this, Yadaikasalam, commonly called Yadek, and his team organized events such as a triathlon around these natural sites and a diving jamboree to showcase Banggai’s underwater beauty.
“The Diving Jamboree aimed to highlight underwater spots in Lopaneteng Village. The coral reefs and marine biodiversity here are abundant yet largely unexplored by the public and the government. We captured photo and video content through this jamboree to promote the area’s underwater tourism,” Yadek shared.
He added that their KKN team also initiated a program to improve houses to meet the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy standards, enabling locals to start homestay businesses.
“We created homestays as a form of entrepreneurship. Our goal is to help the community become self-reliant. They can generate income from their own resources,” Yadek concluded.
Author: Hanif
Editor: Gusti Grehenson