A team of students from the Tourism program at the UGM Faculty of Cultural Sciences has helped create a community-based tourism village for the Guntara Tourism Awareness Group in Pengkol Village, Gunungkidul Regency, Yogyakarta.
This activity aims to accelerate the formation of the Wandari Mukti tourism village.
Team leader Adib Zulqudsie explained that their team offers various training programs.
These include raising awareness about community-based tourism; community-based tourism training; Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) training for youth groups; digital-based tourism training; digital marketing strategies; homestay development training; and product packaging training for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.
“Through these programs, we hope Guntara can become more aware of the potential and advantages of the village. They can also identify weaknesses, making them better prepared to manage the tourism village,” Zulqudsie said on Friday (October 6).
Zulqudsie explained that the Wandari Mukti tourism village is developed with three leading destinations in mind: Gunung Genter, the Tetes Bunga Sejahtera Honey Bee Education Center, and the Omah Seni Mekar Laras Cultural Studio.
The Gunung Genter destination offers visitors the opportunity to enjoy and explore the beauty of the village.
The journey begins at the village hall, where tourists are invited to take a 4×4 off-road vehicle through various terrains, from rocky roads to steep hills that provide an adrenaline rush.
Upon reaching the hilltop, tourists are treated to the breathtaking panorama of the village and picturesque rice fields while breathing in the fresh mountain air. Visitors can also enjoy local dishes like boiled corn and sweet potatoes.
Next, the second flagship destination is the Honey Bee Education Center. Here, tourists can get close to a honey bee colony and learn how bees produce honey and how to process pure honey. Visitors can also taste hive honey and honey-based beverages.
The final flagship destination is the Omah Seni Mekar Laras Cultural Studio. This location is part of the tourism package offered by Omah Seni Mekar Laras, which is an art studio for gamelan music.
The art group aims to engage young people in cultural preservation by involving them in gamelan activities.
“Tourists can participate in gamelan practice with the Omah Seni Mekar Laras children,” the team leader said.
Gunungkidul Regent, Sunaryanta, has expressed his support for the Wandari Mukti Tourism Village. He believes the village has great potential to become a popular tourist destination, and he hopes it will continue to develop and bring prosperity to the local community.
He hopes that the Wanadri Mukti Tourism Village can continue to develop and bring prosperity to the local community.
“Hopefully, through the Wanadri Mukti Tourism Village, which has been granted village tourism status, the people of Pengkol Village will be inspired to keep improving the village,” he explained.
Author: Ika
Photo: UGM Tourism students