Community Participation in Agrotourism Management at Waturaka Village, Kelimutu District, Ende Regency

Partisipasi Masyarakat dalam Pengelolaan Agrowisata di Desa Waturaka, Kecamatan Kelimutu, Kabupaten Ende

Abstract

This research aims to measure the level of local community participation and

determine the forms of their participation in agrotourism management activities in

Waturaka Village, Kelimutu District, Ende Regency. The research uses quantitative

methods. Data was collected by distributing questionnaires to 95 respondents who

were farming actors in the Waturaka agrotourism area. The sample size is

determined based on the Slovin formula. Data analysis used quantitative

descriptive techniques with the help of the Statistical Package for the Social

Sciences (SPSS) version 25 program. The results of the analysis showed that the

level of local community participation was very high in agrotourism management

activities in Waturaka village, as evidenced by the average questionnaire score of

4.41. Meanwhile, direct observation results show several forms of local community

participation, including agricultural land management, active in irrigation

construction programs, supporting walls construction, and road repairs, also

presents attractions to tourists, promotes and sells agricultural products, and

participates in evaluation meetings related to agrotourism management in their

village. The very high level of community participation is a very important aspect,

so there is no concern if agrotourism management activities in Waturaka village

are still running today since they were promoted in 2012 by the Non Government

Organization Swisscontact in collaboration with the Ende Regency Tourism Office.

Therefore, it is highly hoped that the community will maintain its participatory spirit,

and all stakeholders should continue to strive for good cooperation and

coordination so that agrotourism management in Waturaka village can develop

optimally.