Developing forest farmer groups as tourism managers (study case: Cisuren forest farmer groups in Tugu Utara Village, Puncak Bogor)

Abstract

This paper investigates the innovative concept of harnessing the expertise and stewardship of forest farmer groups to manage tourism in forested areas, study case: Cisuren Forest Farmers Group in Curug Watugede. Through illustrative examples and in-depth analysis, it highlights the transformative impact of this initiative on both local communities and the preservation of forest ecosystems. This paper shows the steps in developing forest farmer group as tourism manager; such as 1) assessment planning, 2) capacity building and training, 3) infrastructure development, 4) marketing and promotion, 5) implementation, 6) monitoring and evaluation. This paper also discovers the challenges un developing forest farmer group as tourism manager; such as; 1) lack of financial resources, 2) limited technical experience, 3) seasonal visitor flow, 4) community resistance, and 5) slow initial growth. For each challenges, the solutions provided are external funding planning, capacity building programs development, diversify attractions, and transparent communications to the communities.