Bhetoh so’on batik feature creations: promoting the stonehenge van java in Suling Wetan Village, Cermee Sub-District, Bondowoso Regency

Abstract

Batu Susun tourism (Madura: Bhetoh Soon) or called “Stonehenge Van Java” in Suling Wetan Village, Cermee District is a newly opened tourist attraction in Bondowoso Regency. Nature tourism is still not widely known by the community so that there is a need for promotional efforts to be remembered more widely by tourists. One of strategies to promote the local object of Bondowoso is developing new batik motifs “bhetoh Soon” as a typical icon of Bondowoso Regency. Batik craftsmen in Suling Wetan village have pioneered batik production business since 2015 but have not been optimally developed so that it has not designed as a unique and creative batik product. The knowledge and skills of batik craftsmen in Suling Wetan Village need to be improved to create batik motifs “Bhetoh So’on” as a medium for promoting natural tourism in Bondowoso Regency. In general, the achievement of capacity building programs has been well implemented. These achievements included program socialization for partners, processing workshops and utilization of natural batik dyes, procurement of hand-held machines, training in making batik motifs “Bhetoh Soon”, and assistance to batik craftsmen regarding E-Commerce-based marketing system applications. The development of the typical batik creative industry in Wetan Suling Village is expected to increase their income while at the same time opening up new jobs for the surrounding community. The results of this activity can make Suling Wetan Village a pilot village that can develop successfully and independently in creating creative batik industries. Besides, the development of the creative batik industry in Sulet Wetan Village can lift the potential of tourism objects “Bhetoh So’on” in Bondowoso Regency.