The Impact of Community Empowerment Programs on Sustainable Tourism Management in Bomo Village, Banyuwangi Regency

¹ Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social and Political Science, Airlangga University
² Department of Fisheries Product Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Banyuwangi PGRI University

^* Corresponding author: dewimut91@gmail.com

Abstract

The present study examined the impact of community empowerment programs on sustainable tourism management at Ria Bomo Beach in Banyuwangi Regency. A quantitative descriptive approach was utilized to collect the data. The approach entailed the administration of a survey of 30 members of Benteng Samudera Community-Based Surveillance Group, a local fishing community that manages tourism activities at the beach. A regression analysis was conducted to ascertain the extent to which the empowerment program contributed to the variation in sustainable tourism management. The result of the analysis indicated that the program accounted for 35.4% of the variation, with the remaining 64.6% being attributable to other factors. The program’s core emphasis is divided into three primary dimensions: enabling (establishing a conducive environment), empowering (increasing community capacity), and maintaining (cultivating self-reliance). The program implementation consists of social assistance, integration of renewable energy sources such as solar panels, and conservation activities such as sea turtle hatchling rehabilitation to maintain biodiversity. This initiative has the dual benefit of enhancing the local economy by diversifying income sources from the traditional fishing sector to the tourism industry, while concurrently fostering environmental conservation awareness. However, with 64.6% of factors uncovered, further research is recommended to explore other variables such as infrastructure and policy support. Practical recommendations include increased community participation in program planning and implementation, expansion of conservation programs, and adoption of environmentally friendly technologies. This study lends further credence to the notion that the empowerment of communities constitutes a pivotal strategic element in achieving sustainable tourism that is economically, socially, and environmentally balanced.