Brand Association of Ciletuh - Palabuhanratu Geopark Towards COVID-19 Pandemic and Sustainable Tourism

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to investigate brand association of Ciletuh – Palabuhanratu UNESCO Global Geopark towards the COVID-19 pandemic and sustainable tourism. This research employs a qualitative research method with a case study and descriptive statistics model. The data used in this study are primary and secondary ones in which the techniques of data collecting is by observation, purposive random sampling with Likert scale, as well as literature studies. The results of this study show that Ciletuh-Palabuhanratu Geopark is not only a strategic place for tourism activities in the COVID-19 pandemic since it has characteristics to comply health protocols but also able to meet the tourism recovery during the pandemic. The tourism activities provided by Ciletuh-Palabuhanratu Geopark sites meet the concept of quality adventure tourism and in line with sustainable tourism with concerns on balancing the environmental conservation, local economic empowerment, as well as local social and culture preservation. The brand association of Ciletuh-Palabuhanratu Geopark is shown by its tourism product scope and quality which are associated to sustainable tourism, moreover the use occasion is line with the COVID-19 pandemic situation. The attributes of UNESCO Global Geopark also create the values of tourism activities during and after COVID-19 pandemic which meet the points of sustainable tourism activities and recoveries.