Optimization Strategy for Sustainable Tourism Governance in Kampung Jenggalu Kito, Bengkulu City

Agustri Hestiana (Administrasi Publik, Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Administrasi Bengkulu, Indonesia)
Parwito Parwito (Universitas Ratu Samban, Bengkulu, Indonesia)

Journal of Social Science and Humanities (JoSSH)
Vol. 5 No. 1 (2026): January-June

Sustainable tourism development requires a governance system capable of integrating environmental, economic, institutional, and community participation dimensions in a balanced manner. Kampung Jenggalu Kito, Bengkulu City, has considerable mangrove ecosystem potential that can be developed as a conservation- and education-based tourism destination. However, its management remains suboptimal due to inadequate supporting infrastructure, low tourist visitation, and weak coordination among stakeholders. This study aims to formulate strategies for optimizing sustainable tourism governance in Kampung Jenggalu Kito and to identify the supporting and inhibiting factors affecting its management. A descriptive qualitative approach was employed, with data collected through observation, documentation, and in-depth interviews with nine informants selected purposively based on their involvement in and knowledge of tourism management in the area. Data were analyzed through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings indicate that tourism governance optimization should prioritize greater policy transparency, stronger local community participation, improved institutional coordination, and the provision of infrastructure supporting mangrove-based educational tourism. The main supporting factors include the strategic location of the destination and its valuable mangrove resources, while the major constraints comprise limited community understanding of changes in the area's status, inadequate supporting facilities, and insufficient involvement of external stakeholders in supervision and assistance. These findings emphasize the need for a collaborative governance model that strengthens synergy among government institutions, tourism managers, local communities, and other relevant stakeholders. Such integration is expected to improve destination governance, strengthen mangrove conservation, enhance the competitiveness of educational ecotourism, and generate broader and more sustainable economic benefits for local communities.