Development of Nature-based Tourism in National Park Management Section (SPTN) I Kuningan areas, Gunung Ciremai National Park, Kuningan Regency, West Java Province

Abstract

Gunung Ciremai National Park (GCNP) is one of conservation areas located in two administrative regions, i.e. Majalengka and Kuningan Regency. Gunung Ciremai National Park, particularly the area of National Park Management Section (SPTN) I Kuningan, has various resources potential for tourism objects and attractions, such as waterfalls, hot springs, lake, forest, flora and fauna diversity, and culture. Considering the potentials and the absence of tourism development plan in GCNP, a research on the development of the potentials for tourism objects and attractions was needed. Research was conducted on May – June 2010, covering 7 nature-based tourism location on SPTN I Kuningan area of GCNP, which enclosed in the letter of agreement Number PKS 02/BTNGC/2009 and Number 556/49/Disparbud/2009 about the management of nature-based tourism objects at GCNP, viz. Telagaremis, Paniis, Buper Cibeureum, Buper Cibunar, Buper Balongdalam, Lembah Cilengkrang and Buper Palutungan. A modified criteria of the Directorate General of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation’s criteria of assessment of tourism object and attraction operational areas analysis year 2003 (ADO-ODTWA) was used in the research’s analysis. Elements of assessment used in the analysis were attraction, accessibility, and community’s social-economic condition of the area concerned. Data were collected through literature study, interview, questionnaire, and field observation. Data collected were attraction, accessibility, community’s social-economic condition, visitors’ characteristics, visitors’ valuation of the objects, visitors’ purpose and activities, visitors’ expectations, and development plant from tourism object management and local government. Gunung Ciremai National Park entrusted the management of the tourism locations concerned in this research to various stakeholders, viz. Tourism and Culture Agency of the local government, private ventures, communities, in cooperation with GCNP. Therefore, each location had different policy and management system. The assessment of the existing tourism objects on the area of SPTN I Kuningan GCNP resulted in moderate value (1184-1657) and high value (1658-2130) classifications. Lembah Cilengkrang (1800) and Buper Palutungan (1675) were classified into high value objects, while the other five objects, Telagaremis (1655), Paniis (1575), Buper Cibeureum (1525), Buper Cibunar (1570) dan Buper Balongdalam (1515), fell into the moderate value objects. Therefore, Lembah Cilengkrang and Buper Palutungan became the priority of the development of nature-based tourism in SPTN I Kuningan Gunung Ciremai National Park. Visitors on all 7 locations shared common characteristics. Visitors came from areas outside Kuningan, such as Cirebon, Indramayu, and Majalengka. The majority of the visitors (51,9%) were teenager (13-21 year old). Most of the visitors came to the area to enjoy the scenery, with walking and sitting as dominating activities. Visitors expected that there would be a tourism object development, particularly concerning tourism products and facilities. Recommendation on nature-based tourism development of SPTN I Kuningan areas of GCNP were made taking into account the aspects of object’s potential, visitor’s suggestion, and management plan. Nature-based tourism development covered the development of facilities, improvement of cooperation in potential management and development, and tourism activities development on each location.