Lombok Researchers Boost Bilebante Tourism Village Capacity for UN Global Recognition

Figure Ilustration AI

FORMOSA NEWS - Lombok - A comprehensive community development program has successfully enhanced the local tourism capacity in Bilebante Tourism Village, Central Lombok Regency, Indonesia. Conducted from May to July 2026, the collaborative initiative was led by an expert research team from the Lombok Tourism Polytechnic (Politeknik Pariwisata Lombok). The team included lead researchers Ali Muhtasom, Amirosa Ria Setiadji, M Tanggap Sasmita, Herman, Isdar Wahim, Lalu Ratmaja, Muhammad Mas Multazam, Fikri Hamidy, Muhammad Adieb Hidayatullah, Bagas Dwie Abrinzar Prajan Maturbongs, and Supardi. This targeted intervention matters because it directly prepares Bilebante already recognized as one of Indonesia's best rural destinations to meet international standards for its formal nomination in the prestigious "Best Tourism Villages by UN Tourism" global program.

Background: Elevating Rural Tourism to Global Standards
Tourism villages serve as a critical pillar in Indonesia's national strategy to foster community-based tourism, alleviate rural poverty, and protect local cultural heritage. Bilebante Tourism Village is a notable success story, having successfully transitioned from an environmental sand mining site into a thriving, green agricultural tourism zone. While the destination achieved top national honors in 2025, preliminary field observations by the Lombok Tourism Polytechnic team revealed distinct operational gaps that limited its international growth. Local stakeholders faced language barriers with foreign visitors, lacked structured marketing narratives, and underutilized modern digital tools. Addressing these training gaps became vital for the village to transition from a domestic attraction into a world-class international destination.

Methodology: Participatory Action Research in Action
The Lombok Tourism Polytechnic team implemented a Participatory Action Research (PAR) framework over a three-month period in 2026. Rather than treating locals as passive recipients, this collaborative approach engaged community members as active decision-makers throughout the assessment, training, and evaluation cycles. The intervention focused on 15 core tourism leaders carefully selected for their direct impact on the local hospitality ecosystem:

• Village-Owned Enterprise (BUMDes) Managers (3 participants): Responsible for overarching governance and business strategy.
  
• Local Tour Guides (5 participants): Responsible for direct visitor engagement and frontline service delivery.
  
• Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis) & MSME Members (7 participants): Responsible for managing village micro-businesses, hospitality standards, and crafts.
  

Training combined classroom simulations, intensive role-playing, practical field exercises at existing village landmarks, and direct technical consultations.

Key Findings and Competency Improvements
The capacity-building program yielded measurable improvements across three primary instructional pillars:

• Tourism English Mastery: Participants demonstrated a substantial increase in conversational confidence. Frontline staff mastered specialized hospitality vocabulary to welcome international travelers, handle inquiries, and manage operational bookings efficiently.
  
• Structured Destination Storytelling: Local guides shifted away from informal, unorganized information delivery. They acquired professional public speaking skills and learned to craft structured narratives integrating Bilebante's rich history, environmental transformation, and unique cultural traditions.
  
• Digital and Website Optimization: The training enhanced the technical literacy of local organizers. Participants gained hands-on skills in social media management, promotional photography, videography, website content adjustments, and integrated digital marketing strategies.
  

Implications and Real-World Impact
The outcomes of this program extend beyond individual skill accumulation to deliver broader socio-economic benefits. By structurally upgrading human resources, the project advances the economic self-sufficiency of local micro-enterprises and village-owned businesses. Furthermore, the participatory model fostered deep institutional collaboration between BUMDes managers, local entrepreneurs, and regional educators. This unified local ecosystem creates a resilient governance framework capable of maintaining high-quality service standards, enhancing destination branding, and attracting high-yield international tourist demographics.

Author Profile
Isdar Wahim, M.Pd. is a senior academic and researcher at the Politeknik Pariwisata Lombok (Lombok Tourism Polytechnic) in Central Lombok, Indonesia. Holding an advanced degree in education, his field of expertise focuses on tourism human resource development, community-based tourism, and language training for hospitality professionals. He serves as the corresponding author for this community empowerment project.

Source

Ali Muhtasom, Amirosa Ria Setiadji, M Tanggap Sasmita, Herman, Isdar Wahim, Lalu Ratmaja, Muhammad Mas Multazam, Fikri Hamidy, Muhammad Adieb Hidayatullah, Bagas Dwie Abrinzar Prajan Maturbongs, dan Supardi. Strengthening Tourism Human Resource Capacity through Training and Mentoring in Bilebante Tourism Village, Central Lombok Regency. Asian Journal of Community Services (AJCS). Vol. 5, No. 6 2026, Halaman 333-346.
DOI : https://doi.org/10.55927/ajcs.v5i6.33
URL: https://journalajcs.my.id/index.php/ajcs