Throughout Each Hamlet, IPB University’s PPK Ormawa Himakova Team Heard Directly the Aspirations of Wirajaya Residents to Realize Low Carbon Tourism
The Student Organization Capacity Strengthening Program Team (PPK Ormawa) of the Forest Resource Conservation Student Association (Himakova) IPB University held a visitation in order to embrace the aspirations and desires of the Wirajaya Village community, Jasinga, Bogor Regency, West Java in developing a tourist village.
“The PPK Ormawa Himakova team took a big step in embracing the desire of the Wirajaya Village community, Jasinga, Bogor Regency, West Java to become a leading tourism, by offering a Low Carbon Tourism program,” said Fatin Hanifah, chairperson of the PPK Ormawa team.
She said, visitation is not just a visit, but a heart-to-heart journey to hear directly the aspirations of the community. The PPK Ormawa Himakova IPB University team also did not only visit sporadically, but conducted a comprehensive visit to each hamlet, Rukun Warga (RW), and Rukun Tetangga (RT) in Wirajaya Village.
A number of students were divided into three teams to conduct visitations to three hamlets consisting of 5 RW and 26 RT. The visitation team was directed to directly interact with the community to dig up specific and in-depth information with energy and time efficiency.
“We want to explore the potential of Wirajaya Village. What they want, how they see the future of tourism, and how we can help the community in achieving these goals,” said Fatin Hanifah, Chairperson of the PPK Ormawa Himakova Team.
Dr Eva Rachmawati, a lecturer accompanying the Himakova team explained that community aspirations are an important factor in tourism development in an area. “This is because it is the community who will be the managers and implementers of these tourism activities so that they must accommodate the interests and needs of the community,” she said.
The presence of the Himakova Ormawa PPK team received a positive response from the local community. Oban as the Chairman of Hamlet 1 welcomed the team’s plan to launch the Low Carbon Tourism program. “We hope that the plan will be implemented soon so that Wirajaya Village can be increasingly recognized as a tourist destination,” he said.
“We are very happy and grateful if there are students who come, this village is quiet because many have migrated and there are rarely any activities. Moreover, there is a tourism development plan, it will definitely be crowded and I am ready to help your program,” added Ibok as a community leader.
Village officials hope that the arrival of the PPK Ormawa team can invite the community to be more active in activities and commit to maintaining positive momentum to realize Wirajaya Village into a leading and sustainable tourist destination. (*/Rz) (IAAS/Hap)
