Communication Management in Ecotourism Development in West Java of Indonesia

Abstract

Curug Malela is currently being developed into a leading tourist destination by the Provincial Government of West Java. The concept of ecotourism becomes the basis of the development where it requires collaboration and communication of all stakeholders. Therefore, this study seeks to reveal parties involved in the management of Curug Malela and ways of communication management of the stakeholders so that the aims of the development of Curug Malela as an ecotourism can be achieved. This study employed qualitative method with case study approach. Observation and interview were the techniques of primary data collection and literature review became secondary data source to support this study. The results showed that there were three stakeholders involved in the development of Curug Malela as an ecotourism: key stakeholder comprising the Tourism and Culture Offices of West Java and West Bandung, primary stakeholder comprising local community and organizations including Youth Organization (Karang Taruna) and Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis), and secondary stakeholder comprising NGO, Perum Perhutani, and PTPN VIII Nusantara. Communication management of the stakeholders in the development of Curug Malela had been able to create and establish goodwill, mutual appreciation, tolerance and mutual understanding, as well as gain favorable opinion, either in the internal or external relationship.