A total of 27 students from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) are carrying out the 2025 Community Service Program (KKN-PPM) in three villages in Kebonarum District, Klaten Regency, Central Java. From Jun. 21 to Aug. 8, 2025, they engaged in community development efforts in Ngrundul, Pluneng, and Malangjiwan Villages.
Their main programs include producing a tourism promotional film under the theme Wonderful Kebonarum, creating a website to showcase the village’s tourism potential, conducting interactive learning sessions, and organizing tourism discussion forums (sarasehan).
To symbolize the commencement of the program, a sarasehan was held on Wednesday, Jun. 25, 2025, in Kebonarum District.
The forum featured speakers, including Kebonarum District Head I Nyoman Gunandika, and Dr. Destha Titi Raharjana, a researcher at the UGM Center for Tourism Studies (Puspar UGM).
The sarasehan aimed to explore the natural assets of villages in Kebonarum, with a particular focus on the umbul (natural springs), one of Klaten’s most distinctive attractions.
Gunandika welcomed the KKN program and expressed his gratitude for the students’ involvement.
He expressed hope that the students would integrate with local communities, map village potentials, and contribute to the development of tourism in the three target villages.
“We sincerely hope that the efforts of UGM’s KKN students can help unlock and enhance local potential. Together with the regional government, we are encouraging residents’ creativity. In terms of quantity, we have many umbul scattered throughout the area, which is why Klaten is often called the City of a Thousand Springs,” he remarked.
He emphasized that the spring potential serves as a strength for the villages and should be further developed through innovative approaches.
Many of these springs, he said, have become popular tourist attractions, such as the well-known Umbul Ponggok, which is successfully managed by the village and local residents.
The success of Umbul Ponggok has even improved residents’ livelihoods.
“We want to push the development of natural spring-based tourism, whether for recreation or therapy. To ensure sustainability, it’s important to introduce digital technology to tourism managers in line with current travel trends,” he said.
During the sarasehan held in the Kebonarum District hall, Dr. Raharjana encouraged residents to adopt a “village-driven development” approach.
This concept aligns with the spirit of the Village Law, which grants villages autonomy to optimize their resources, including springs, as drivers of community economic growth.
According to Dr. Raharjana, tourism should not be the ultimate goal but rather a tool to optimize rural resources, exemplified by the development of tourism villages.
He advised villagers to avoid focusing on artificial attractions, noting that today’s travelers seek authentic and immersive experiences.
“Tourism villages should not just sell tickets. Instead, they will be more effective if they highlight unique potentials and collaborate within integrated tourism development zones offering full travel packages,” the researcher said.
He also underscored the need to strengthen each village’s identity or unique icon and suggested sharpening storytelling approaches.
He encouraged KKN students to explore these elements and present them through attractive, up-to-date designs and visual formats.
“This could take the form of videos or other engaging social media content,” he explained.
Dr. Raharjana hopes that the UGM students can help enhance each village’s appeal as a tourism destination by supporting the development of travel packages.
Based on local potential, students are also expected to assist with improving amenities such as homestays, toilets, eateries, parking areas, prayer rooms, and other supporting facilities.
In addition, student contributions to digital content creation and creative management are essential.
“It’s equally important to build institutions and human resources and address environmental resilience through waste management and disaster mitigation,” he added.
Dr. Lintang Nur Fadlillah, a lecturer from the Faculty of Geography at UGM who serves as the field supervisor, expressed hope for strong support and hospitality from residents in the three villages.
She emphasized that the real-life learning students gain from living and solving problems with local communities will be a valuable and unforgettable experience.
“I hope the students manage their stamina and stay healthy. Please make the effort to communicate regularly with village authorities and residents so that the KKN program can gain full support from the community,” she encouraged.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Lintang Andwyna