Community-Based Tourism Development Strategy in Bintan Regency, Indonesia

Abstract

Local communities are an inseparable part of tourism destinations. The integration of local communities in the planning and development of tourism destinations is intended to ensure that local communities have the space and opportunity to participate in the tourism planning process. The integration framework starts with a basic understanding of tourism destinations. Community-based tourism is tourism development with a high level of local community involvement and can be accounted for from social and environmental aspects. Usually, the community's main source of income remains as before, for example from agriculture, plantations, or fishing. It is hoped that the income from the tourism sector can be an added value in gaining the economy amid the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. The main objective of this research is to examine and identify the potential for developing community-based creative tourism in Bintan. The process of data analysis includes understanding and compiling primary and secondary data that have been obtained methodically. The findings of the analysis and interpretation of this research data are used to develop the concept of community-based creative tourism in Bintan based on the city's potential to create creative zones centered on seven creative industries. in Bintan with the idea of sustainability and community empowerment to attract visitors, especially tourists from Singapore, due to Bintan's proximity and strategic position to Singapore. Of course, this is an opportunity that must be exploited in terms of attracting international visitors to Singapore as well as domestic tourists. At the same time, it is projected to increase tourist visits to Indonesia, especially to Bintan.