Yogyakarta (ANTARA) - The Bantul Regency Government in the Special\nRegion of Yogyakarta (DIY) is promoting community-based tourism (CBT)\nthrough tourism villages in an effort to achieve a more balanced\napproach to tourism management.<\/p>\n
Bantul Tourism Agency head Saryadi said in Bantul on Sunday that the\ngovernment had long encouraged tourism development beyond destinations\nmanaged by the regency government.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are also developing CBT \u2014 tourism sites managed by community\ngroups. Tourism villages are one example,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He said one of the steps being taken was to provide intensive support\nto tourism village managers despite budget constraints.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven if we do not have funding in the regional budget (APBD) for\nactivities, we have many partnerships with universities and other\ninstitutions to provide support,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The Bantul Tourism Forum, which comprises various regional government\nagencies, has also visited several tourism villages to identify priority\ndestinations that could receive more extensive support, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will provide more extensive support, including, if possible,\nallocating funds next year for destination development, publicity,\nmarketing and so on,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Saryadi named several places that had been visited, including Jagalan\nTourism Village, Pleret Tourism Village, Kajii Tourism Village in\nGilangharjo, and tourism villages in the Sedayu kapanewon\n(sub-district).<\/p>\n
The four tourism villages were considered ready for development,\npartly because they had previously won provincial-level tourism\ncompetitions.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have not decided which of the four will be selected. We will also\nconsider other leading destinations, such as beaches and caves,\u201d he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
According to Saryadi, the initiative is important to help tourism\nvillages receiving targeted support achieve sustainable economic\nindependence.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor example, Wukirsari Tourism Village has already made progress and\ncan operate independently. We need to encourage the others to catch up,\u201d\nhe said.<\/p>\n
He said all income from CBT destinations would be managed by the\ncommunity groups that initiated, developed and operated them.<\/p>\n
\u201cTourism levies go to those groups as part of the services they\nprovide; the regency government does not collect levies or provide the\nservices,\u201d he said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/bantul-promotes-community-based-tourism-development-1792918270", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }