Storytelling Training to Enhance the Attractiveness of the Benang Stokel and Benang Kelambu Tourist Destinations for the Managers of Benstol Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis), Aik Berik Village

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FORMOSA NEWS - Nusa Tenggara Barat - Storytelling Training Enhances Tourist Attraction and Digital Visibility for Lombok’s Benang Stokel Waterfalls. A team of researchers from Universitas Mataram successfully boosted tourism engagement and visitor traffic at Lombok’s Benang Stokel and Benang Kelambu waterfalls through a strategic storytelling and digital marketing program conducted between April and August 2026. Led by Dwi Putra Buana Sakti, Siti Nurmayanti, Santi Nururly, I Nyoman Nugraha Ardana Putra, and Dita Alviita Dakota from Universitas Mataram, the initiative empowered 20 members of the local Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis Benstol) in Aik Berik Village, Central Lombok. The findings matter because they demonstrate how combining traditional cultural narratives with modern social media management transforms basic natural attractions into deeply engaging, memorable tourism destinations that drive regional economic growth.

Reconnecting Natural Heritage with Cultural Identity

Aik Berik Village, located in the North Batukliang District of Central Lombok, possesses extraordinary natural assets in the Benang Stokel and Benang Kelambu waterfalls. Despite drawing steady crowds, destination management previously focused primarily on basic visual appeal, physical maintenance, and basic visitor assistance. Baseline assessments revealed that local guides lacked standardized narratives to explain the historical, cultural, and folklore significance of the area, leaving tourists with a purely visual experience rather than a meaningful cultural connection. Furthermore, promotional efforts on social media were irregular and limited to plain scenery photos, missing opportunities to build an emotional connection with potential travelers before they arrived.

A Five-Stage Participatory Approach to Destination Management
To address these gaps, the Universitas Mataram research team implemented a five-stage community service framework designed for long-term sustainability:

• Socialization: Initial collaborative meetings aligned goals, identified specific storytelling needs, and set implementation schedules with Pokdarwis Benstol.
  
• Storytelling Training: Workshop sessions educated participants on crafting structured narratives around local folklore, community traditions, and natural history, followed by guided tour simulations.
  
• Technology Implementation: Training focused on digital media management, photography, video production, and social media scheduling tailored for tourism promotion.
  
• Mentoring and Evaluation: Field monitoring ensured guides applied storytelling during actual tours, while five permanent narrative interpretation boards were installed across strategic destination points.
  
• Program Sustainability: Pokdarwis leadership established independent action plans and collaborative frameworks with local government bodies and academic institutions.
  

Key Findings and Measurable Results
The structured intervention produced measurable improvements across participant competence, digital outreach, and physical tourist traffic:

• High Participant Satisfaction: Post-training evaluations showed that 17 out of 20 participants (85%) expressed satisfaction with the storytelling and digital media curriculum.
  
• Digital Content Creation: Pokdarwis members successfully created over 30 original digital promotional assets, combining high-quality visual media with compelling cultural stories.
  
• Social Media Growth: The official Instagram account for Aik Berik Tourism Village experienced a 40% growth in followers over the four-month implementation period, expanding from 192 to 269 active followers.
  
• Increased Tourist Visits: Local destination records documented a 30% increase in tourist visits during the program’s four-month evaluation window compared to the preceding four-month period.
  

Real-World Impact and Community Empowerment
The integration of storytelling into community-based tourism creates lasting benefits for local economies and sustainable tourism practices. By shifting destination management from passive sight-seeing to active narrative interpretation, the program elevates destination memorability and fosters stronger place attachment among visitors. Research highlights that emotional connectivity encourages tourists to adopt environmentally responsible behaviors during their stay. From an institutional perspective, the project directly supports sustainable regional development by transforming community members into active owners of their cultural heritage. Additionally, the collaboration advances higher education performance goals by bridging academic expertise with rural community development. Highlighting the essence of the project, lead researcher Dwi Putra Buana Sakti from Universitas Mataram noted that community-based tourism thrives when local residents serve not merely as service providers, but as the primary custodians of a destination's identity and story. Equipping local communities with structured storytelling techniques ensures that cultural heritage remains preserved while boosting rural economic resilience.

Author Profiles
Dwi Putra Buana Sakti, S.E., M.M. – Academic researcher and lecturer at Universitas Mataram specializing in marketing strategy, destination management, and community empowerment.
Dr. Siti Nurmayanti, S.E., M.Si. – Senior researcher and faculty member at Universitas Mataram with expertise in organizational behavior, human resource management, and regional development.
Santi Nururly, S.E., M.M. – Researcher at Universitas Mataram focusing on operational management, community-based tourism, and sustainable development strategies.
I Nyoman Nugraha Ardana Putra, S.E., M.Si. – Lecturer at Universitas Mataram specializing in tourism economics, destination marketing, and local business development.
Dita Alviita Dakota, S.E., M.M. – Specialist in digital marketing communications and consumer behavior research at Universitas Mataram.

Source
Sakti, D. P. B., Nurmayanti, S., Nururly, S., Putra, I. N. N. A., & Dakota, D. A. (2026). Storytelling Training to Enhance the Attractiveness of the Benang Stokel and Benang Kelambu Tourist Destinations for the Managers of Benstol Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis), Aik Berik Village. Asian Journal of Community Services (AJCS), Vol. 5 No. 8, Halaman 501-510.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/ajcs.v5i8.45
URL: https://journalajcs.my.id/index.php/ajcs