Activities

Writer: Claudina Sibarani, Programme Associate

Editor: Firra Kholisha Mustika, Communication

The German government's KfW team together with the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity (ACB), the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), and the Gunung Leuser National Park Center (BBTNGL) visited as a form of monitoring and evaluation to assisted groups located in Langkat Regency, North Sumatra.  One of the locations visited was the DESMA Center project locus, namely in the Batu Katak Ecotourism Area, Gunung Leuser National Park, Langkat Regency, North Sumatra on October 18, 2022.

Monitoring and Evaluation aims to review the results of program achievements that have been running in the Batu Katak Ecotourism Area.  The program being implemented is “Digitalization of Ecotourism and Strengthening the Capacity of Ecotourism Actors in Gunung Leuser National Park, Langkat Regency, North Sumatra.” This program is an effort to provide solutions related to market access, and improve high-quality tourism products and services.

DESMA Center Founder & Director Wiwik Mahdayani along with Co-founder & Deputy Director Dicky Mardyan accompanied by the entire DESMA Center Field Office Medan team welcomed the visit of KfW and other teams. In the presentation, DESMA Center described the form of cooperation, series of training and coaching for capacity building, product and service development, as well as the progress of facility development in Batu Katak Ecotourism Area.  Through various training activities, Batu Katak Ecotourism has now been able to improve the quality of tourism products and services offered so that it is expected to reach a wider target market. 

Monitoring activities are also attended by all beneficiaries / direct beneficiaries, namely the Batu Katak Tourism Institute (LPBK) team which also consists of the Nature Lovers Community Group (KMPA), Arih Ersada Group, Repala Micro Business Group.  Each group of beneficiaries had the opportunity to display their processed products, which are the mainstay local products in the Batu Katak Ecotourism Area. Also present were representatives of the Bank SUMUT CSR team.

KfW Monitoring and Evaluation activities at DESMA Center assisted tourism sites are part of the Ecotourism Digitalization and Strengthening the Capacity of Ecotourism Actors in Gunung Leuser National Park, Langkat Regency, North Sumatra, implemented by DESMA Center.

The Digitalization of Ecotourism and Strengthening the Capacity of Ecotourism Actors in Gunung Leuser National Park, Langkat Regency, North Sumatra implemented by DESMA Center is a development project of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia, in collaboration with the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), co-financed by the Federal Republic of Germany through KfW.

____________

Digitalization of Ecotourism and Strengthening the Capacity of Ecotourism Actors in Gunung Leuser National Park, Langkat Regency, North Sumatra implemented by DESMA Center is a development project of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia, in collaboration with the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), co-financed by the Federal Republic of Germany through KfW.

The Ecotourism Digitalization and Capacity Building Program consists of a series of training activities that include: (1) Tour Guiding Training (2) Itinerary and Tour Quotation Preparation Training (3) Service Excellence Training (4) Homestay Management Training (5) Culinary Training (6) Hygine & Sanitation Training (7) Financial Management Training (8) Social Media Management Training (9) Story Telling Training, Caption Writing, writing Ecotourism Promotion Articles.

This project also provides facilitation of (1) implementation of CHSE certification in the tourist destination category, (2) business matching, (3) Fam trip (4) Stakeholders Networking, and (5) Development of a digital platform that will synergize tourism and creative economy businesses in the Gunung Leuser National Park area in Langkat Regency, North Sumatra.    

The Ecotourism Digitalization Program and Strengthening the Capacity of Ecotourism Actors are aimed at providing solutions to the challenges of market access, connecting attractions and increasing quality tourism products in the GLNP region III area. This is in line with government objectives contained in the National Medium-Term Plan 2020 - 2024, the Strategic Plan of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy 2020 - 2024 and the National Tourism Development Master Plan 2010 - 2025.