IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMUNITY BASED TOURISM IN THE BOTUBARANI WHALE SHARK ECOTOURISM AREA

ANNISA RIZQA ALAMRI, NUNUNG NURWATI, BINAHAYATI RUSYIDI, BAMBANG HERMANTO

This study aims to analyze the implementation of the Community-Based Tourism (CBT) dimension in the Botubarani Gorontalo whale shark ecotourism area. The research methodology uses an interpretive qualitative approach with a case study design. Data collection was carried out through in-depth interviews, participatory observations, and documentation studies of 21 selected informants using purposive sampling and snowball techniques, representing three local communities and related policymakers at various levels of government in Gorontalo. Data analysis was carried out through thematic coding using Screenout software. The results of the study show that the implementation of CBT in Botubarani has been carried out with the formation of three communities managing the Botubarani Whale Shark ecotourism area in Gorontalo with five operational dimensions: social, economic, political, cultural, and environmental. The implementation of CBT contributes to increasing the transformation of local communities, including community capacity, income diversification, and asset accumulation, but findings in the field also show that there are inequalities in the implementation of the two dimensions of CBT, namely the environmental dimension and the cultural dimension. This study concludes the importance of strengthening the environmental and cultural dimensions to ensure the sustainability of whale shark ecotourism and sustainable community welfare in Botubarani.