Central Lombok – Bonjeruk Tourism Village in Jonggat District, Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, has significant potential to grow as a community-based tourism destination. However, research by Isdar Wahim and five co-authors from Politeknik Pariwisata Lombok in 2026 shows that physical development and promotional activities alone are not enough. Strengthening the capacity of local human resources is essential to improving the village’s tourism appeal and long-term sustainability.
Bonjeruk offers a combination of natural, cultural, and historical attractions. Its natural assets include Kokoh Dalam River, rice-field landscapes, the Traditional Bamboo Market, and plantations producing cocoa, coffee, and dragon fruit. The village also has historical attractions connected to the Kingdom or Datu Jonggat, including the Old Raden Nune Umas Bonjeruk Mosque, the house and tomb of Datu Jonggat, and old buildings featuring Dutch colonial architecture. Together, these resources provide a distinctive identity for Bonjeruk within Central Lombok’s tourism landscape.
Its location further strengthens the village’s tourism prospects. Bonjeruk is relatively close to several major tourism areas and urban centers in Lombok. The research notes that the village can be reached in approximately 25 minutes from Lombok International Airport, 30 minutes from Mataram, and 15 minutes from Praya. This accessibility creates opportunities for Bonjeruk to offer visitors a rural experience supported by natural scenery, local culture, history, and culinary attractions.
Despite these advantages, the development of Bonjeruk Tourism Village still faces challenges related to human resources and community participation. The study found that tourism development has tended to focus on physical facilities and promotion, while systematic efforts to strengthen community capacity and local institutions remain limited. Gaps in destination management, tourism services, promotion, and tourism product development have restricted the village’s ability to fully utilize its existing potential.
The researchers used a qualitative descriptive approach to understand these conditions. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, field observations, and documentation. Key informants were selected purposively from the Tourism Awareness Group, known as Pokdarwis, village officials, and local residents involved in tourism activities. Information from different sources and methods was compared to strengthen the credibility of the findings.
The findings show that Bonjeruk already possesses important social and institutional assets. The presence of Pokdarwis and community involvement provides a foundation for local tourism management. Bonjeruk also reached the top 50 of Indonesia’s Tourism Village Award in 2021. Nevertheless, the researchers emphasize that early recognition does not automatically guarantee the independence and sustainability of a tourism destination. Internal capacity still needs to be strengthened.
One of the major challenges is the limited involvement of younger residents and people with higher levels of education in tourism management. This situation can reduce innovation, weaken the regeneration of tourism managers, and limit the village’s ability to adapt to changing tourism trends, including digital promotion and tourism product development. The study therefore emphasizes that local communities should not merely receive the benefits of tourism but should become central actors in managing and developing the destination.
Based on these findings, the researchers developed a strategic model that places local human resource development at the center of tourism development. The strategy includes improving tourism knowledge, service skills, guiding skills, attraction management, tourism product packaging, and managerial capabilities in planning and promotion. Needs-based training, continuous mentoring, and learning by doing are proposed as suitable approaches for strengthening local capacity.
Pokdarwis also occupies a central position in the proposed model. The group is not viewed merely as an implementer of tourism activities but also as a bridge connecting local communities, village government, and other stakeholders. Strengthening its organizational structure, clarifying responsibilities, and improving institutional capacity could make Pokdarwis more effective in encouraging community participation.
The strategy also highlights the importance of involving young people through creative tourism and digital promotion. Bonjeruk’s natural, cultural, and historical resources can be packaged into integrated tourism experiences that involve local community activities. Stories about local history, culture, community products, and rural life can strengthen the destination’s identity while creating more distinctive experiences for visitors.
The study further emphasizes that sustainable tourism development requires cooperation among local communities, Pokdarwis, government institutions, universities, tourism businesses, and training organizations. Such partnerships can support capacity building, product innovation, and more professional destination management. Tourism development can therefore move beyond creating attractive places and instead build local communities capable of managing those destinations over the long term.
The findings demonstrate that human capacity is an inseparable part of destination attractiveness. Infrastructure and promotion may capture tourists’ attention, but the sustainability of the visitor experience depends heavily on the ability of local communities to provide services, manage attractions, protect local resources, and preserve cultural values. The researchers conclude that human resource development, stronger Pokdarwis institutions, community participation, integrated tourism potential, policy support, and partnerships need to work together.
For Bonjeruk Tourism Village, this approach provides an opportunity to build a tourism model that focuses not only on visitor numbers but also on long-term economic, social, and cultural benefits for local residents. By positioning the community as the main actor, Bonjeruk’s natural and historical assets can be transformed into competitive tourism products while maintaining the village’s distinctive local character.
Authors
Source: “Improving Human Resources as a Strategy to Strengthen Community-Based Tourism Business in Bonjeruk Tourism Village”, Indonesian Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Management (WAKATOBI), Vol. 5 No. 1, 2026.
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