Economic Empowerment of Local Community around Cipendok Tourist Attraction in Banyumas Regency

Abstract

Curug Cipendok is one of natural tourism destinations in Banyumas Regency. As an icon of Banyumas tourism destination, the development of Curug Cipendok has the potentials to increase economic benefit to local communities. Related to the tourism development program based on ecological conservation and effort to provide economic contribution to local community in the surrounding area, this research made an attempt to describe how the tourism object would generate benefit to the local community. This research found out that local community considered that the development project of Curug Cipendok tourist attraction has not provided direct impact to the economic benefit. The community has received indirect impact such as street maintenance and other transportation infrastructure. Related to strategies to develop the economy of local community at Cipendok area the policies to be implemented are; 1) synchronizing interests of local government and PT Perhutani to optimize the utilization of natural forest to local community in ecological conservation scheme; 2) leading to active collaboration among local government and PT Perhutani involving university and private sector to establish strategies, and implementing the strategies to support in creating creative industrial products and increase farming value added to local community; and 3) developing regulation focusing on environmental support capability to control any negative impacts of tourism development, including protection to local heritage.

The Existence of Indigenous Knowledge and Local Landslide Mitigation: A Case Study of Banyumas People in Gununglurah Village, Central Java, Indonesia

“…As Ahmad Tohari emphasized in his famous writing, the people of Banyumas, especially women [47,48], actively apply their wisdom to preserve the environment [49]. On the other side, this community also practices social forestry to conserve natural resources [50].…”

“…The information and teaching on pranata mangsa have also faced a difficult situation due to the decrease of the farmer's quantity, especially for the younger generation, as mentioned in the interview with a local farmer (WM-06 and WM-11). Currently, progressive economic sectors such as industry, tourism, and service have attracted the labor force in Banyumas to work in the cities, including in Purwokerto and Cilacap [50,84]. As mentioned during the interview with PD-02, some other workers migrated to Jakarta to work in the automotive or construction industries.…”