Buwun Sejati Village Head Muhidin SAg when he received the Indonesian Tourism Village Award

ITS Campus, ITS News – The two-year struggle of the Center for the Study of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember  (ITS) in fostering the Buwun Sejati Tourism Village, West Lombok, has yielded sweet results. Buwun Sejati Village won the title of one of the Best Tourism Villages in Indonesia organized by the Indonesian Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy (Kemenparekraf).

ITS contributes to teaching, management, and tourism master plan; in this case,  it contributes to education, management, and tourism master plan. Head of the ITS SDGs Study Center, Dr. Agnes Tuti Rumiati MSc, said that the title was received at the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy’s program, the Indonesian Tourism Village Award (ADWI).

According to the lecturer, who is familiarly called Tuti, the village that can receive the title of Best Tourism Village is a village that meets the assessment criteria from the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy. So it is hoped that the selected town will become a world-class and highly competitive tourism destination.

Tuti said that the tourism potential in the village is very strategic to improve the welfare of the local community. In addition, the village can be a means of realizing the achievement of SDGs number 8 related to economic growth and number 11 regarding smart cities and communities. “Unfortunately, the village management is still not good, so we are helping to make a master plan,” he said.

Therefore, ITS also started the activity by holding a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) to provide views on innovation to residents. With this, the residents can understand what the potential in their village is. On the other hand, Tuti considered that the residents of Buwun Sejati Village were enthusiastic and ready to develop their village. So that the FGD at that time went smoothly.

Head of ITS SDGs Study Center Dr. Agnes Tuti Rumiati MSc

Before that, Tuti revealed that not only Buwun Sejati Village was the object of the ITS tourism village target in this activity. But also with two other surrounding villages, Sesaot Village and Pakuan Village. Because the three villages are included in a tourist area called Sekawan Sejati. So that ITS also made a master plan concept scale with a three-village scale.

Therefore, the master plan made by ITS is comprehensive and comprehensive in promoting and managing the tourist area to be known by others. This includes mapping the potential of natural tourism to culinary. “So we also provide a tour guide, management, and culinary training,” explained the ITS Statistics Department lecturer.

Tuti explained that the development of the residents from the various training that had been held was satisfactory. One of the two tangible products of their activity is the creation of complete tour packages and website management. With the box and the domain of this website, it is hoped that it can lure tourists to visit the tourist area.

ITS is also not alone in developing the competence of the residents there. But together with the Lombok Tourism Polytechnic (Poltekpar) in terms of culinary tourism and dishes training. Because, according to Tuti, ITS does not have sufficient skills to be taught to villagers related to culinary. “In developing a village, we hope to maximize their potential with competent parties,” said Tuti.

Several kinds of tourism activities in Buwun Sejati Village are displayed on the website sekawansejati.com.

ITS also collaborates with the University South of Australia in teaching Tourism Management. This includes planning a rest area and service center that directs tourists to various locations for Sekawan Sejati’s tourist destinations. “Don’t forget to also to inclusions about appropriate promotional strategies, good promotional materials and go viral through various media,” added Tuti.

There, A large amount of financial assistance was ed from an Australian institution, namely the Alumni Grant Scheme (AGS). Furthermore, the funds are disbursed to cover the costs needed to manage this tourist area. “The residents are also able to have various kinds of facilities such as cooking equipment, promotional funding, and so on,” said Trepeated Tuti

Even so, Tuti revealed that her team did not achieve this in initiating this activity. But only she was trying their best in achto achieves the Tri Dharma of Higher Education. In addition, Tuti considered that the Sekawan Sejati tourist area, especially Buwun Sejati Village, still had to improve itself, such as mental management and arrangement.

In addition, Tuti also hopes that in the future other villages in Indonesia can also be provoked to develop their villages, especially in the tourism sector. “We hope that with this master plan, local agents can develop their moment plans,” concluded Tuti. (AJ/ITS Public Relations)

Reporter: Gandhi Kesuma