Activities

Writer: Claudina Sibarani, Programme Associate
Editor: Firra Kholisha Mustika, Communication

Tourism trends have changed since the Covid-19 Pandemic entered Indonesia. The Covid-19 pandemic provides a change that tourists will prioritize safety and hygiene aspects on their trip. The government, business actors and stakeholders must be able to adapt or create innovations in response to changes in order to increase competitiveness and restore tourism. Government policy related to the organization of tourism is to establish CHSE as a new standard for the Tourism industry. CHSE standardization has been formulated in the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) since 2021.

The availability of CHSE can give confidence to tourists who will visit a tourist destination. One of them is Batu Katak Ecotourism Area, which is located in the Gunung Leuser Area, Langkat Regency, North Sumatra. Assistance at Batu Katak Ecotourism is carried out through thematic trainings related to digital tourism marketing, strengthening human resources, strengthening cooperation, and implementing CHSE (Cleanliness, Health, Safety, and Inveronmental Sustainability).

DESMA Center has provided assistance, development and construction of facilities required for CHSE implementation.  On October 20 - 21, 2022, the CHSE audit team Mr. Firman Prasetio as Lead Auditor from PT.CHESNA Surabaya and DESMA Center visited Batu Katak Ecotourism. The audit team was welcomed by the Batu Katak Tourism Institute (LPBK). Audit activities are carried out in accordance with the application of applicable health protocols.

The purpose of the Audit is to ensure that the Batu Katak Ecotourism Area has met the requirements for the implementation of CHSE in accordance with the SNI standard criteria. Data collection and examination are carried out starting from the examination of the dimensions of cleanliness, health dimensions, safety dimensions, and environmental sustainability dimensions. Assessment is carried out by looking at the location of the tour operator starting from public spaces, tourist attraction areas, tourist lodges, lodging, to food and beverage service providers.

Based on the results of data collection and inspection for 2 days, the audit team reported that there were no findings that did not comply with the SNI criteria for Tourist Attractions in the Batu Katak Ecotourism Area. As a follow-up, CHSE certification will soon be received by the Batu Katak Tourism Institute.

The CHSE Audit Visit to Batu Katak Ecotourism Area, Gunung Leuser National Park, Langkat Regency, North Sumatra is part of the Ecotourism Digitalization Project and Strengthening the Capacity of Ecotourism Actors in Gunung Leuser National Park, Langkat Regency, North Sumatra implemented by DESMA Center.

The Digitalization of Ecotourism and Strengthening the Capacity of Ecotourism Actors in Gunung Leuser National Park, Langkat Regency, North Sumatra implemented by DESMA Center is a development project of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia, in collaboration with the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), co-financed by the Federal Republic of Germany through KfW.

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Digitalization of Ecotourism and Strengthening the Capacity of Ecotourism Actors in Gunung Leuser National Park, Langkat Regency, North Sumatra implemented by DESMA Center is a development project of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia, in collaboration with the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), co-financed by the Federal Republic of Germany through KfW.

The Ecotourism Digitalization and Capacity Building Program consists of a series of training activities that include: (1) Tour Guiding Training (2) Itinerary and Tour Quotation Preparation Training (3) Service Excellence Training (4) Homestay Management Training (5) Culinary Training (6) Hygine & Sanitation Training (7) Financial Management Training (8) Social Media Management Training (9) Story Telling Training, Caption Writing, writing Ecotourism Promotion Articles.

This project also provides facilitation of (1) implementation of CHSE certification in the tourist destination category, (2) business matching, (3) Fam trip (4) Stakeholders Networking, and (5) Development of a digital platform that will synergize tourism and creative economy businesses in the Gunung Leuser National Park area in Langkat Regency, North Sumatra.    

The Ecotourism Digitalization Program and Strengthening the Capacity of Ecotourism Actors are aimed at providing solutions to the challenges of market access, connecting attractions and increasing quality tourism products in the GLNP region III area. This is in line with government objectives contained in the National Medium-Term Plan 2020 - 2024, the Strategic Plan of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy 2020 - 2024 and the National Tourism Development Master Plan 2010 - 2025.