TOURISM AWARENESS GROUPS (POKDARWIS) INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT IN MANAGING COBAN PANDAWA TOURIST ATTRACTION

Abstract

Based on Law No. 6 of 2014 concerning Villages, villages have more autonomy in carrying out local potential-based development, one of which is the development of tourism villages. Meanwhile, the development of tourism villages cannot be separated from the presence of Tourism Awareness Groups (Pokdarwis), which based on regulation, communities are allowed to participate as perpetrators of tourism village development other than the village government. Pokdarwis is an independent organization, so it is not unsual if Pokdarwis are finally vacuumed in developing tourism destinations, one example of which is PokdarwisSukodono Village, Dampit District, Malang Regency, which vacuumed after it has been running in an effort to manage CobanPandawa tourist attractions in Sukodono Village. This phenomenon is interesting to study because Pokdarwis should be able to be present as a medium to increase tourism-based village development, but on its journey it is vacuum operating. Structural theory Anthony Giddens is considered appropriate as an effort to analyze the above phenomenon, where Pokdarwis is seen as an agency in tourism village management practices, the structure is interpreted as a rule that intersects Pokdarwis which will then be seen in the dialectic process between the two elements. The research aimed to identify the problems that caused the Pokdarwis vacuum and how to increase the role of Pokdarwis in managing CobanPandawa tourist attractions by revitalizing the organization. The study was conducted with a qualitative descriptive method. Data search is done through interviews and field observations. The results of the study are the lack of understanding of the community in carrying out the duties, principles and functions of the Pokdarwis organization and the need to increase institutional and HR capacity in running the Pokdarwis organization.