Awakening Aroma: Weathering the Covid-19 Storm in Aceh's Coffee Culinary Tourism and Farming Community

Abstract

The potential and popularity of coffee culinary tourism, particularly Arabica Gayo coffee, have garnered recognition both locally and internationally for its unique aroma and flavor profile. However, the widespread impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism sector in Indonesia has posed serious challenges, including to the coffee culinary tourism industry in Central Aceh. Decreased tourist visits have disrupted various aspects of the business. Hence, research is conducted to identify these impacts and find suitable solutions to revitalize this industry. Through research methods involving observation, in-depth interviews, and group discussions, efforts are made to optimize the potential of coffee culinary tourism in the region. The analysis reveals that operational hour restrictions on coffee culinary businesses are among the major impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Central Aceh, resulting in revenue decline and export difficulties. Nevertheless, the tourism potential in the area remains high despite the decrease in tourist numbers due to activity restrictions.