SEMARANG – Research Institute and Community Service (Lembaga Penelitian dan Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat / LPPM) of Diponegoro University (UNDIP) supports tourism development in Montongsari Village, Weleri District, Kendal Regency, Central Java Province. The tourism development, which is directly handled by members of Research Institute and Community Service Undip together with the Village Officials and local residents, aims to improve the community’s economy in the midst of Covid-19 pandemic.
“The development of tourism activities in Montongsari Village is expected to grow the community’s economy,” said a team member of Research Institute and Community Service Undip, Dr. Sunarti, ST, MT, in a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) held by Research Institute and Community Service Undip and the Village Officials at Montongsari Village Hall, on Tuesday (28/9/2021).
Furthermore, Dr. Sunarti added that the role of the residents of Montongsari Village is very important as the main implementation in the process of developing a tourist area. Meanwhile, Undip’s service to the community is the implementation of science and technology program for Undip Assisted Villages in realizing Undip’s action in village community development.
According to her, the urgency of Undip Assisted Villages is important because there are many potential villages that have not been optimally empowered, due to the lack of link and match between research results and community aspirations. Therefore a team of Research Institute and Community Service Undip as the representation of university plays a role in implementing Tri Dharma of Higher Education, namely organizing education, research and community service.
One of the resource persons, Saeful Anshori, shared his experience as the Chair of Tourism Awareness Group (Kelompok Sadar Wisata / Pokdarwis) in Kandri Village, Gunungpati District, Semarang, about the strategies to develop the potential of resources owned by the village so that it can become a tourism area. “The key is how to initiate the strategy for developing the potential of resources owned by Montongsari Village. It starts from what object will we sell, how to develop the object and what is the marketing strategy. All the steps need to be complemented with the development of human resources in this village,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the Head of Montongsari Village, Weleri District, Kendal Regency, Sunaryo, admitted that he was very grateful that the village he led became an Assisted Village of Research Institute and Community Service Undip. This program is carried out in order to strengthen the community’s economy through the development of tourism activities.
“With this support, we will empower youth, Family Welfare Movement, Village-Owned Enterprises, Village Institutions and immediately form Tourism Awareness Group. Our village have a variety of culinary products that can be developed as ecotourism. Our village also has land that can be developed as a tourism area with the flow of the Damar River and the Welas Asih Bridge with an exotic enough panorama for instagramable photo spots,” he explained. (PR team)
Translated by: Titis (Public Relations)
