Strategic Environmental Analysis of River-Based Special Interest Tourism Development in Sukabumi City

Abstract

The covid-19 pandemic has significantly impacted global tourism, including changes in tourists who prefer natural tourism activities. River resources in Sukabumi city can be developed into river-based special interest tourism (SIT) following current market preferences. However, the development of river-based SIT products in Sukabumi city has not been optimally explored. This article examines the strategy of developing river-based special interest tourism in Sukabumi City as a research destination through descriptive-qualitative methods. SWOT analysis is applied in-field data processing resulting from observation activities, interviews, and literature studies. The research developed river-based special interest tourism in Sukabumi city through a selection of activities developed, namely rafting, river tubing, and body rafting with productive age target markets in Sukabumi, Jabodetabek, and Bandung Raya areas. The results of this study could be alternative supporting information for tourism actors in Sukabumi and Indonesia, especially in the development of special interest tourism.