Ecotourism development strategy at minapolitan area of Menayu Village, Magelang District, Central Java, Indonesia

Abstract

Menayu Village is one of the villages in the Muntilan District, Magelang Regency, Central Java which is one of the minapolitan areas based on Magelang Regent’s Decree (SK) No. 188.45 / 347 / KEP / 29/2011. Minapolitan area is a part of the area that has the main function of the economy which consists of production centers, processing, marketing of fishery commodities, services, and other supporting activities. The purpose of this study was to determine internal and external factors that support the development of ecotourism in the Minapolitan area and the appropriate ecotourism development strategies to be able to develop Menayu as the minapolitan area. SWOT analysis was used, involving internal strategy factors (IFAS) and external strategy factors (EFAS). The results showed that IFAS factors that support ecotourism development in the Minapolitan area include rural natural beauty, topography, diversity of plankton and fish in the area of fish farming, community support and the farm of red arowana fish (Schleropagus formosus), while weakness factors for tourism were infrastructure and lack of public knowledge. Supporting EFAS factors were the potential aquaculture sector, local government support, and stakeholders, the presence of red arowana fish (Schleropagus formosus) which are included in the IUCN category for endangered species. While the obstacles were unoptimal stakeholder support and the lack of transportation to the area from the district center. Priority strategies that can be applied based on the SWOT analysis are protection and conservation of ecotourism potential (conservation of aquatic resources and red arowana fish and the optimization of biological potential as a tourist attraction, as well as enhancing ecotourism support facilities.