Tourism Villages and MSMEs Identified as Needing Consistent Collaboration
The Desa Bakti BCA Community Forum 2026 was held from 25–27 August 2026. This annual forum, previously known as the Coordination Meeting (RAKOR), serves as a platform for programme evaluation, capacity building, and the strengthening of collaboration between BCA, the management of Desa Bakti BCA, MSME players, the government, and partners.
The forum was attended by Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana, BCA President Director Hendra Lembong, BCA Director Antonius Widodo Mulyono, BCA EVP of Corporate Communication & Social Responsibility Hera F. Haryn, and BCA Bakti Ambassador Nicholas Saputra.
BCA Director Antonius Widodo Mulyono stated that the forum was organised to provide a space for discussion and to increase engagement between MSMEs and the villages that have been mentored by Bakti BCA. It is hoped that this forum can open wider collaborative opportunities for MSMEs and villages to scale up their operations.
“The development of tourism villages and MSMEs requires consistent collaboration between various parties. This includes strengthening community capacity, product development, and expanding market access,” said Widodo in a written statement on Sunday (30/8/2026).
Similarly, BCA EVP of Corporate Communication & Social Responsibility Hera F. Haryn noted that through the Desa Bakti BCA Community Forum 2026, BCA aims to bring various stakeholders together to share experiences, strengthen competencies, and identify development opportunities relevant to community needs.
“The Desa Bakti BCA Community Forum serves as a space for us to continue learning together, evaluating programmes, and strengthening the capacity of those driving tourism villages and MSME players. Amidst rapid changes, we want to ensure that people in villages possess the skills, knowledge, and networks to develop their regional potential sustainably,” said Hera.
The series of activities began with participant arrivals and a coaching clinic on Tuesday (25/8/2026), followed by the main forum on Wednesday (26/8/2026). On Thursday (27/8/2026), participants took part in benchmarking activities and a closing ceremony, before returning to their respective regions on Friday (28/8).
During the forum, participants received training on leadership and the regeneration of tourism village management, capacity building for MSME players and products, and the utilisation of digital transformation to expand market access. The benchmarking activities also provided opportunities for participants to enrich their insights regarding environmental preservation and business development practices relevant to modern community needs.
The Desa Bakti BCA Community Forum 2026 also served as a moment to appreciate the performance of MSMEs and Desa Bakti BCA that have contributed to the development of regional economic and social potential.
Participants of the forum included leaders and driving teams of tourism villages, heads of Living Food Houses (RPH), and MSME owners within the villages. Through this forum, BCA encourages the strengthening of capacity and networks among players so that the potential of villages and MSMEs can develop sustainably and provide broader benefits to the community.
BCA implements local community economic empowerment programmes through business mentoring and assisted villages, focusing on Human Resource Upskilling, Institutional Strengthening (Capacity Building), and the promotion and support of expanded market access (Market Access) sustainably to increase community independence and welfare. The programme emphasises improving the quality of life through a needs-based and collaborative approach to ensure every programme is relevant, impactful, and long-term.
Currently, there are 28 assisted villages with various development focuses, such as tourism villages based on sustainable tourism guidelines, MSMEs within villages, and coffee plantation revitalisation, which have provided almost 200 types of training modules for village communities.
This mentoring programme has successfully absorbed 1,593 workers in the assisted villages, mentored over 5,000 MSME participants, and recorded a potential export value for Bakti BCA-mentored MSMEs of up to IDR 110.9 billion. These assisted villages are spread across Sumatra, Java, Bali, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, and Maluku. Several Desa Bakti BCA have also achieved both national and international awards.