Buleleng - December 3, 2024, a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) held to discuss strategies for developing Julah Village's tourist attractions resulted in several important points. The discussion began with identifying the village's main potentials, such as its cultural wealth, natural beauty, and history.
Julah Village is known to have unique traditions, such as dance, local crafts, and traditional rituals that can be the main attraction. In addition, its natural beauty, in the form of a beautiful rural landscape, green rice fields, and mountains, makes Julah Village has great potential as a natural and cultural tourist destination. As one of the old villages in Bali, Julah Village also holds historical values that can be raised to attract tourists.
However, the discussion also revealed some of the obstacles faced. Inadequate infrastructure, such as difficult road access and the lack of tourist facilities such as lodging, public toilets, and information centers, are the main challenges. In addition, promotion of Julah Village is still limited, both at the local and international levels. This causes the village to be less well known by tourists. Community participation in tourism development also still needs to be improved so that the benefits of tourism can be felt equally.
To overcome these problems, FGD participants agreed on several development strategies. First, accessibility improvements and supporting infrastructure development, including homestays, parking areas, and other public facilities, are needed. Second, packaging of tourism products is a priority, such as the development of culture-based tour packages (for example, traditional art workshops and historical tours) and nature tourism (trekking, camping, and ecotourism). Third, promotion through social media and collaboration with travel agents is considered important to reach a wider market of tourists.
In addition, community empowerment is key. Training for local residents, such as becoming tour guides and managing homestays, is considered important to increase their capacity. The development of local MSMEs is also encouraged, especially in the production of handicrafts and culinary specialties of Julah Village. On the other hand, environmental preservation is a concern, by applying ecotourism principles to maintain the cleanliness and beauty of the village.
As a first step, it is planned to form a work team involving the community, village government, and related parties. This team will be tasked with developing a work plan, including a proposal for developing a tourism village that can be submitted to the government and sponsors. Julah Village is expected to develop into one of the leading sustainable tourist destinations.
Indonesia