Natural Attractions Research Articles

Is the ancient city of Benin Kingdom a preferred tourist location? A qualitative-based study to achieving sustainable development Goal 11

Studies on preferred tourist locations focus on developed countries and selected Asian cities. Many African cities like the Ancient City of Benin Kingdom (ACBK) have been grossly under-researched in global extant literature regarding preferred tourist locations and how they may improve achieving Sustainable Development Goal 11 (Goal 11). Thus, this study examines the attributes of a tourist location. Also, it investigates perceived barriers facing the ancient city and suggests measures to improve achieving the ACBK as a tourist location and, by extension, improve achieving Sustainable Development Goal 11 in Nigeria. The study adopted qualitative research and collected primary data via face-to-face interviews and observations of tourist locations. A convenient sampling technique was used to select 30 knowledgeable participants. The researchers analysed the collected data manually. Findings reveal nature destinations (historical/archaeological), natural attractions, ecotourism/wildlife, landform areas, prompt quality services, basic amenities/infrastructure, mangrove forests, and safety/security as the attributes of a global tourist location. Findings show that the sustenance of these attributes will improve achieving Goal 11. Also, the findings identified the barriers and recommended measures to mitigate them and, by extension, promote ACBK as a preferred tourist location and improve achieving Goal 11. This study reawakens the need for all-inclusive tourism planning management and marketing in developing countries.

Qualitative and quantitative water investigation of Erin-Ijesha (Olumirin) Waterfall, Erin-Ijesha, Nigeria

This study focused on the assessment of water quality in Erin-Ijesha (Olumirin) Waterfall, a prominent natural attraction in southwestern Nigeria. The physiochemical parameters, heavy metal concentrations, and bacteriological characteristics were examined in the upstream, midstream, and downstream sections, to ensure the resource quality and safety from harm. The results revealed notable variations in water quality. The pH, Total Dissolved Solids, Electrical Conductivity, and Temperature were highest in the midstream while Total Hardness, Alkalinity, salinity, Chloride, sulphate, Phosphate, Nitrate, Calcium, and Magnesium were highest in the downstream section. The physicochemical parameters were within the acceptable limits of World Health Organization (WHO), United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), and the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) standards, except the pH, temperature, and Total Hardness were higher than the acceptable limits of 6.5–8.5, <25 °C or >50 °C and 50 mg/L in all the sections. Iron was above the WHO, USEPA, and SON permissible limits of 3.0 mg/L in all the sections of the river while there was no indication of copper, lead, and cadmium. Bacterial contamination, particularly the presence of E. coli, exceeded recommended safety thresholds. The Total Bacterial Count (TBC) exceeded safety limits by 0.1 million cfu/mL in the downstream. The mean of the parameters was higher in some instances, and sometimes lower than the values in the various sections of the river. A significant relationship existed between most physical, chemical, and bacteriological parameters at p < 0.01. The appraisal of water quality in Olumirin Waterfalls emphasizes the need for proactive measures to ensure water safety, preserve ecosystems, and promote responsible water resource management.

Local Community Participation in Management of Batur Natural Hot Spring as a Tirta Tourist Attraction in Kintamani, Bangli Regency

The Batur Natural Hot Spring tourist attraction is one of the hot spring tourist attractions in Kintamani and isbelieved to cure skin diseases. The development of Batur Natural Hot Spring as a tourist attraction cannot beseparated from the participation of the local community. Local community participation can be said to be oneof the important aspects of tourism activities to support improving the standard of living of the local Baturcommunity in particular. This research aims to determine the form of local community participation inmanaging the Batur Natural Hot Spring tourist attraction. This research is qualitative research that focuses onlocal community participation. The data in this research was collected through observation, interviews,literature study, and documentation methods. The informal determination technique uses the AccidentalSampling technique, and the data analysis technique uses qualitative descriptive data analysis techniques. Theresults of this research show that local community participation in developing the Batur Natural Hot Springtourist attraction appears to play a very active role which can be seen starting from the planning stage,implementation stage, and evaluation stage.Keywords: Tourism, Participation, Local community

Management Of Teba Majelangu As Educational Tourism in Denpasar City

One of the natural, cultural and educational tourist attractions of Denpasar City is Subak TeBA MajelanguEducational Tourism. However, the number of tourists who come to this place is still very low compared toother tourist attractions in Denpasar City. Thus, the manager must make efforts to develop a strategy so thatthe attraction of Subak TeBA Majelangu Educational Tourism becomes an educational tourist attraction in thecity of Denpasar in the most effective way. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to find out the strategies thatare carried out so that Subak TeBA Majelangu Educational Tourism becomes a better educational touristattraction in the city of Denpasar, as well as the efforts made by managers to develop this strategy. This studyused a qualitative research approach involving data collection through observation, interviews anddocumentation. Data collected at the research location through the process of analyzing data, describing thedata and continued with drawing conclusions. The results showed that the Village-Owned Enterprise(BUMDES) of Kesiman Majelangu Village and the Tourism Awareness Group (POKDARWIS) manage theoperations of Subak TeBA Majelangu Educational Tourism which is directly responsible to the villagegovernment. Furthermore, Subak TeBA Majelangu Educational Tourism requires the right strategy to developit. This strategy can include developing tourism products, increasing security, increasing the potential thatcharacterizes Subak TeBA Majelangu Educational Tourism and developing infrastructure and facilities.Keywords: Subak, Educational Tourism, management strategy, management efforts

Penilaian Potensi Penawaran Wisata Alam Hutan Mangrove Di Tanjung Ngalo, Tapalang Barat, Sulawesi Barat

Mangroves are a community or individual plant species forming a tidal area community. One of the stretches of the mangrove ecosystem in West Tapalang District is in Tanjung Ngalo, Dungkait Village. Tanjung Ngalo is one of the tourist attractions in West Tapalang District, Mamuju Regency. However, its location is quite remote with minimal access, which is a challenge for the future development of this area. This research aims to identify and calculate the potential value of mangrove natural tourism offerings in Tanjung Ngalo. Data collection methods were carried out through observation, interviews and literature review. Data analysis used a scoring technique based on the Guidelines for Analysis of Operational Areas of Natural Tourist Attraction Objects (ADO-ODTWA) of the Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation Year 2003. The results show that the potential value of the mangrove natural tourism offerings in Tanjung Ngalo is 2,360, included in the medium classification. The accommodation aspect has the lowest potential value (90) so it needs attention for future improvement and development. Keywords: Tanjung Ngalo, mangrove, nature tourism, ADO-ODTWA, supply

Determining the drivers of sustainable ecotourism destination competitiveness from a supply-side perspective: a case of UNESCO World Heritage Site in Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia

Over the last decade, a new segment of the tourism market has been established following the shift in global visitors’ preferences. Individuals have directed their travel course towards another form of travel, namely ecotourism. Nonetheless, the sustainability and progression of ecotourism destinations are often debated. This study involves local industry players’ perspectives, primarily to identify their perceptions towards the impacts of destination core and supporting resources on destination marketing efforts and destination competitiveness (DC). This study gathered 132 valid responses and the proposed model was evaluated using SmartPLS 4.0. Through partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), the findings showed that core resources (natural resources and cultural heritage attraction) have substantial positive associations with destination marketing efforts. Supporting resources (tourism infrastructure and quality of tourism services) were found to be significantly and positively associated with DC. Interestingly, this study has revealed the absence of significant relationships between destination marketing efforts and ecotourism DC. These findings enable tourism practitioners to better understand the impacts of resources on sustainable development of ecotourism competitiveness, specifically from suppliers’ perspectives. The implications are further discussed in the paper.

Mapping the Potential of Bakas Tourism Village in Klungkung Regency Bali

Bakas Village, Banjarangkan District, Klungkung Regency, is one of the tourist villages in Klungkung Regency based on Klungkung Regent Regulation Number 2 of 2017 concerning the Establishment of Tourism Villages and Decree Number 82 of 2018 concerning the Establishment of the Bakas Village Tourism Awareness Group (POKDARWIS). Since being designated as a tourist village, the number of tourists visiting Bakas village every day is only 15 people, which is far from the target visit program launched by the Bakas Village Tourism Awareness Group of 2000 tourists visiting every month or approximately 66 tourists every day. The purpose of this research is to find out the right strategy in developing tourism in Bakas Village. The research was conducted using descriptive qualitative analysis with data collection techniques in the form of observation, documentation study and in-depth interviews. Based on the research analysis, it shows that the mapping of the potential of Bakas Tourism Village is very large, spelled out from diverse tourism products ranging from natural, cultural, and artificial tourism attraction products, especially the concept of community-faced tourism, supported by supporting facilities and adequate access routes. The obstacles faced by Bakas Tourism Village in marketing are the lack of adequate human resources to carry out marketing systems, especially when promoting on social media, and there is uncertainty in the price of each Bakas village tourism product. Keyword: Tourism Potential, Tourism Attractions, Tourism Village, Bakas Village

Community Tourism Organization in the Parish Of Settlement, Cantón Riobamba

The research was conducted to understand why the Flores settlement has not developed community tourism, despite its significant natural and cultural attractions, such as the "Sisay Pacha" carnival, festivals, rituals, astronomy, and activities like green baskets. The settlement faces issues with poor organization of community tourism, underutilization of its heritage, and insufficient tourist services, limiting its growth. The study aims to identify the causes of this situation and propose solutions to strengthen community tourism. The research addresses the problem, the formulation of the problem, the justifications, the objectives, and the hypotheses. It presents a theoretical framework that includes background, theoretical bases, philosophical framework, and state of the art. It describes the methodology used, detailing the type and design of the research, the unit of analysis, the study population, the sample size and selection, the operationalization of variables, the consistency matrix, the research techniques and instruments, as well as the validity and reliability of these instruments, and the analysis and presentation of the information. It focuses on the results and discussion, covering the analysis, interpretation, hypothesis testing, conclusions, and recommendations. Finally, it presents the design of the Food and Beverage Production Management Process under the guidelines of the ISO 9001-2015 standard for the Flores parish. These findings reveal that the main obstacles to the development of community tourism in Flores are the lack of organization and training, poor destination promotion, deficient infrastructure, and limited tourist services. It is recommended to strengthen community organization, train local actors, promote the destination, improve infrastructure, and expand the range of services. The adoption of the ISO 9001-2015 standard is proposed to improve the quality of tourist services and the competitiveness of the destination.

Awareness of the Brand in Sayum Saba Village through Social Media Marketing and Tourist Attraction Building

Sayum Saba Village is one of the tourist villages in Karo Regency, North Sumatra, which has interesting natural and cultural tourism potential. However, the public is still not familiar with this village very much. Dengan menggunakan quantitative methods with a descriptive approach, this study aims to analyze the influence of social media marketing and tourist attractions on brand awareness of Sayum Saba Village. The findings show that social media marketing and tourist attractions have a positive impact on brand awareness of Sayum Saba Village. In order to promote tourist villages, this research suggests that Sayum Saba Village create natural and cultural tourist attractions, work with influencers and travel bloggers, and step up the quantity and quality of its social media marketing. It is envisaged that this study will assist Sayum Saba Village in raising its profile and drawing in more visitors.

An Emerging New Tourism Destination: Geographic Resources and Tourism Potential of the Province of Masbate (Republic of the Philippines)

The Masbate Province surrounded by the Sibuyan Sea, Visayan Sea and Samar Sea, is located in the central part of the Philippine archipelago and includes 3 large islands (Masbate, Ticao and Burias) and many smaller islands. All the islands within the borders of Masbate Province are just one part of the Luzon Islands Group in terms of physical geography; also in terms of political geography and administrative geography, they are located within the “Bicol Administrative Region”. In terms of administrative structure, there are 20 districts, 1 city (Masbate City) and 550 Barangays in the Masbate Province. Even though the Masbate Province has rich natural resources and mines, great agricultural and fishing potential, it has so far failed to achieve the desired success in international tourism. In this study, Masbate, Ticao and Burias, which are the largest islands of the Masbate province, are investigated and analyzed separately and both their geographical features, tourism potential and tourism attractiveness of these islands are accounted for. In this article, the main accommodation facilities, major nature reserves, islands and beaches within the borders of Masbate Province, as well as natural and cultural tourism attractions are examined; additionally, the tourism advantages and disadvantages of Masbate Province are addressed. The main purpose of the study is to introduce the tourism resources, cultural riches and natural beauties of the Masbate Province, which actually is not very popular among the international tourists, to the readers, both to popularize the name of the Masbate Province to the global tourism markets and offer new holiday options for the inquisitive tourists.

Bintan Image Formation via Instagram in The Pre- And Post-Covid-19 Pandemic Period: A Comparative Study Between Projected Image and Perceived Image

Several studies have proven that visual content uploaded on Instagram is a factor in forming destination images. On the other hand, tourists and local tourism authorities are two elements that form a destination image. This research aims to identify the image formation projected by local authorities and the image perceived by tourists through visual content uploaded to their official Instagram accounts in two time periods (before and after the COVID-19 pandemic). All visual content uploaded to their Instagram accounts was collected and analyzed using qualitative content analysis techniques to identify differences and similarities in the images formed by these elements in the two highlighted periods. This research found several things. First, various themes are exploited by these two elements in the production of visual content to be uploaded to their Instagram accounts, including natural attractions (AA), cultural attractions (AB), historical and religious buildings (BSK), tourist activities (TA), culinary and restaurant activities (CR), transportation and accommodation (AT), and local people (LP). Second, AA, TA, and AT are the dominant themes in the two periods (pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic). Third, in the post-pandemic period, there was a significant decline in the population of visual content uploaded to the Genpi-Bintan account compared to the pre-pandemic period. On the other hand, local authority accounts saw an increase in the population of visual content in the post-COVID-19 pandemic period compared to the period before the pandemic. Theoretical and practical implications and several recommendations are presented at the end of this article.

PELATIHAN PENGGUNAAN MEDIA SOSIAL INSTAGRAM SEBAGAI MEDIA PROMOSI PRODUK UMKM UNGGULAN DI DESA WISATA AAN, KLUNGKUNG

The current flow of digitalization needs to be studied, so that we can always adapt to developments over time, including in the era of digitalization 5.0. Until now, Aan Tourism Village has taken advantage of existing digitalization opportunities by promoting its potential attractions through Instagram social media. Aan Tourism Village which located in Klungkung district, is a tourist village that has the potential for natural, culinary and spiritual tourist attractions. It is important to maximize the use of social media, especially Instagram, to promote the various attractions of Aan Tourism Village, including MSME products produced by local communities as souvenirs for tourists when traveling. The aim of this program was to help the MSME business stake holders in Aan Tourism Village to carry out promotions on Instagram social media, by editing photos using the features offered to beautify photos. The results of this training were; (1) Instagram business social media account, (2) Upload photos of MSME products that have been edited using Instagram editing features, (3) Upload Instagram stories by adding interesting stickers, locations, captions and songs. In conclusion, these three outputs can make the products they offer attractive before uploading them to Instagram social media.

STUDYING THE DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL OF TOURISM INDUSTRIES IN THE SOUTH ALTAI BY HYDROLOGICAL, CLIMATIC, GEOMORPHOLOGICAL WAY AND VISUALIZATION USING GIS

The article conducts a study of the current state of development of the natural and recreational potential of th e Southern Altai. The problems that currently hinder the development of tourism sectors in this territory are considered and ways to solve them are proposed. With the accelerated growth of global tourism and recreation, demand for certain regions of Kazakhstan is increasing. The assessment of the natural and recreational potential of Southern Altai was carried out taking into account the bioclimatic state of natural and recreational areas. When assessing the natural and recreational resources o f the study area, our study assessed the shape of the relief, bioclimate, hydrology and flora. The results of the study allow us to propose specialized and multi-thematic routes connecting the main natural and cultural attractions of the main recreation areas for international and domestic tourists, as well as for educational and educational field programs and research trips. The study of the territorial and recreational potential of a mountainous region has its own characteristics, since, compared with plain territories, its knowledge is insufficient.

Mobility Patterns and Sustainable Tourism: Planning and Managing Tourism in Iceland

Tourism in Iceland has experienced significant changes in the past decade. Visitor numbers increased from 459,000 in 2010 to 2.3 million in 2018. However, there was a 14% decrease in visitor numbers between 2018 and 2019, and in 2020, the visitor numbers collapsed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The effect of the pandemic started to decrease in spring 2022 as visitors returned. The great increase from 2010 to 2018 prompted Icelandic authorities to focus on sustainable tourism management in their policymaking. The focus has been on distributing the flow of visitors and associated revenues more evenly across regions, while protecting the main tourist attraction: nature, as well as nature-based destinations. Knowledge of mobility patterns at different scales is crucial for the sustainable development and management of tourism. This study analyses mobility patterns in Iceland through examining visitor numbers at 18 nature-based destinations scattered around the country. The mobility patterns are then related to the sustainable tourism objectives of the Icelandic tourism authorities. The results indicate that the south and southwest region of Iceland is more visited and exhibits less seasonality than other regions of the country. Seasonality has decreased in all regions but not to the same extent as in the south and southwest, the area that includes both the main gateway, Keflavik International Airport, and the capital city of Reykjavík, which often serves as a basecamp for natural attractions. When planning for and managing sustainable tourism in Iceland, it is crucial to know the number of visitors at nature-based destinations, as these numbers are key for analyzing mobility patterns.

Strategi Pengembangan Wisata Air Terjun di Kabupaten Bogor, Jawa Barat

Waterfall tourism is a natural tourist attraction that is an option when traveling to Bogor Regency. The purpose of this research is to identify the potential for waterfall tourism in Bogor Regency and the strategy for developing waterfall tourism to become a leading tourist attraction in Bogor Regency. The research method used is a qualitative approach. The informants selected by purposive sampling technique were tourism stakeholders included in the keyperson, namely the Bogor Regency Tourism Office, managers of waterfall tourist attractions, tourists, business owners, and the local community. The data analysis technique used in this study is interactive analysis. For the selection of alternative development strategies, a SWOT analysis is carried out. The results of the study show that the tourism potential of waterfalls in Bogor Regency has an attractiveness and uniqueness which is its strength. Based on the Internal Factor Analysis Strategy (IFAS) the main strength aspect is community participation in managing waterfall tourism and the biggest weakness is accessibility to waterfall tourism which is still difficult. Meanwhile, based on the External Factor Analysis Strategy (EFAS), the biggest opportunity aspect is tourists who help promote waterfall tourism and the biggest threat is natural disasters. The results of the SWOT analysis show that in developing waterfall tourism in Bogor Regency, a defensive strategy can be applied.

Role of KKN Students in the Development of Sustainable Tourism Villages

Desa Lenek Ramban Biak has transformed into an ecotourism village due to its various tourism potentials, including natural, cultural, and religious attractions. However, both the government and local communities lack awareness of the importance of managing village tourism. Through the Community Service Program (Kuliah Kerja Nyata) conducted by PMD UNRAM, efforts have been made to enhance cleanliness and attract more visitors. Activities include creating photo spots, producing promotional videos, and establishing waste disposal facilities through collective clean-up efforts. The implementation methods involve crafting waste bins from recycled bamboo, conducting clean-up drives at tourist spots, producing promotional videos, and creating photo spots using wood and bamboo. The addition of photo spots aims to make the tourist destination more appealing. The use of bamboo waste bins is intended to raise awareness among the community about waste management and promote a cleaner and healthier environment. Additionally, leveraging technological advancements for promotional video production facilitates wider outreach through social media platforms, thereby increasing awareness among the public. Social media serves as a convenient channel for disseminating information about the tourist destination.

Efektivitas Peranan Pemerintah Daerah Dalam Merevitalisasi Potensi Objek Wisata di Kabupaten Jeneponto

Jeneponto Regency has various kinds of natural attractions and cultural tourism that can be managed and developed so that it becomes an attractive tourist destination. One of the natural potentials of Jeneponto Regency is bathing in Tamalatea Sub-district called Permandian Birtaria Kassi. The bath was once very crowded but in recent years there has been a drastic decline and has resulted in a decline in tourist interest. This study aims to find out and analyze the effectiveness of the role of the Regional Government in revitalizing tourism in Permandian Birtaria Kassi, Tamalatea Subdistrict, Jeneponto Regency. This research method uses a qualitative descriptive method with a unit of analysis Bathing in Birtaria Kassi, Jeneponto Regency that uses 4 key informants. Oka revealed that there are three aspects in measuring the effectiveness of the government's role in fulfilling tourism facilities and infrastructure, namely Attraction, Accessibility, and Amenities. The results of the study indicate that the role of the government has not been effective in revitalizing the bath of Birtaria Kassi. Therefore, the authors suggest that the regional government of Jeneponto Regency prepare a Human Resource Data Manager who is competent in their fields, allocates a special budget to fix all existing infrastructure shortcomings and the need for cooperation between all stakeholders in maintaining security and comfort for tourists.

Narcissism on display? Effects of full-shot and medium-shot photographs posted on social media on tourists’ attraction visit interest

Through theory of narcissism and leisure constraint theory, this study considers how tourists’ vulnerable narcissism facets and lack of interest travel constraint at destination level affect their interest in attractions after viewing social media photographs of other visitors posed as full shot or medium shot (photograph types). Partial least-squares analysis on 614 survey returns (307 for full-shot and 307 for medium-shot photographs) revealed vulnerable narcissism’s impact on attraction visit interest is mostly evident in wenqing attractions. Lack of interest constraint lowers natural and monument attraction visit interest but not for wenqing attractions. Only entitlement rage facet positively influences lack of interest constraint.

Development of Activities and Tourism Routes in Pink Water Lily Lake, Udon Thani Province

This research explores the development of activities and tourism routes in Pink Water Lily Lake, Udon Thani Province, Thailand. Utilizing a mixed-method approach, the study collected data from 400 questionnaires distributed to tourists and 10 semi-structured interviews with local tourism stakeholders. The research aimed to analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) associated with the development of tourism in the Pink Water Lily Lake area, focusing on creating a sustainable tourism model that benefits the local community. Key findings reveal the lake's potential as a significant natural attraction, backed by a strong sense of unity and cooperation within the local community. However, the study identifies critical weaknesses such as ineffective fund distribution and inadequate publicity efforts. Significant opportunities exist in the realms of digital innovation and private sector engagement in tourism. The research also highlights the need for more robust involvement from government and private sectors to support sustainable tourism initiatives. The study concludes with practical recommendations for enhancing tourism activities and routes around the lake, including improved marketing strategies, development of digital platforms, community training programs, and the establishment of public-private partnerships. The research provides a foundation for sustainable tourism development in the region, emphasizing community involvement and environmental conservation.

DOES SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTION AND TOURIST ATTRACTION AFFECT THE INTENTION TO VISIT TOURIST DESTINATIONS IN KUNINGAN? EMPIRICAL STUDIES ON INSTAGRAM

In this era, social media has brought significant changes in the way businesses communicate and share information with consumers. This makes it easier for potential customers to obtain information as a decision-making flow. One natural tourism destination that recognizes the value of Instagram advertising is Woodland. Woodland has gained significant marketing attention as one of the natural tourist attractions. The reason for choosing this research object stems from the noteworthy progress of several marketing tactics, including digital-based promotion and brand revitalization, after the challenging 2019-2020 era in Woodland (caused by the COVID-19 epidemic), as a result of this noteworthy progress, there were 53.02% more visitors in 2022. This study used quantitative techniques. The t-table values obtained show that social media advertisements significantly influence the intention to visit woodland tourist attractions. The study's findings, which showed that Ha was approved while Ho was rejected, lend support to this claim. In addition, attractiveness significantly and positively affects the tendency of tourists to visit places that have forests. Visit intent is also influenced by social media attraction and advertising. Specifically, social media will create expectations for a destination so that it allows potential tourists to determine their vacation plans. Therefore, business people and related agencies must be able to pay more attention to the long-term management of social media and the attractiveness of their tourist destinations.