Increasing local economic values based on ecotourism in Semarang, Indonesia

Abstract

Developing ecotourism area are challenged to also promote its local economic development. Local economic development focuses on the processes at the local level, enhancing the productive capacity of the workforce, local entrepreneurs and collaboration to increase value added and business competitiveness as well as regional competitiveness. Creating accessible market, supported governance system and wider partnership have been advocated as strategies for promoting ecotourism product and service values. In practice, the tone of strategies implemented in tourism area is vary aligning with their different success stories. However, little is known about the evidence of their relations. The study examines the relation between the capacities of governance system, market, partnership created and the additional value of ecotourism products and services. Each of them is represented by indicators with measure of performance score to understand the relation-patterns. Semi-structured in-depth interview with related actors and stakeholders was conducted in defining performance score for each indicator. Using Lerep and Tegalwaton Village located in Semarang District, Indonesia as case studies, the study shows that there is an association between the tone of strategies implemented in governance system, market and partnership and additional value of ecotourism products and services. The methods used in this study can be used as guidance to portray the capacity of the current strategy to increase additional value of ecotourism products which is crucial for prioritizing program in developing ecotourism and local economic development.