Empowerment of Local Communities in the Development of Sustainable Villages in Belumbang Tourism Village, Tabanan, Bali

Abstract

This study aims to examine the implementation of the Community-Based Tourism (CBT) approach in empowering local communities to support sustainable tourism development in Belumbang Village, Tabanan Regency, Bali. The study employed a descriptive qualitative approach with a participatory research design. Data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews, Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and documentation involving the Village Head, the Head of the Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis), Pokdarwis members, and local community members selected using purposive sampling. The data were analyzed using the interactive analysis model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldana, which consists of data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing and verification. In addition, SWOT analysis was employed to identify the internal and external factors influencing the implementation of community empowerment in tourism village development. The findings indicate that the implementation of the CBT approach has contributed to enhancing community capacity through the strengthening of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), tourism education and training, human resource development, and community-based environmental management. These initiatives have increased community awareness, participation, and capacity to manage local tourism resources in a sustainable manner. However, the implementation of CBT continues to face several challenges, including limited human resource capacity, low digital literacy, inadequate destination promotion, insufficient supporting infrastructure, and fragmented environmental management. Therefore, this study recommends strengthening community capacity through continuous training and mentoring, optimizing digital tourism promotion, improving the institutional capacity of Pokdarwis, enhancing collaboration among stakeholders, and implementing community-based environmental management as strategic measures to support the sustainable development of Belumbang Tourism Village.