West Papua BBKSDA Collaborates with CI Indonesia to Strengthen Sorong TWA Capacity

As a further effort to develop management in the Sorong Natural Tourism Park (TWA) through sustainable tourism use activities, the West Papua Natural Resources Conservation Center (BBKSDA) again collaborates with the West Papua Program from Conservation International (CI) Indonesia in seeking capacity building for staff and members of the assisted communities who are members of the Matoa Forest Farmers Group (KTH), as well as students from the University of Papua.

In short, the activities which were held for four days were two training themes which were held in succession. On December 6 and 7, participants took part in "Training for Preparation of Tour Packages at TWA Sorong," while "Training Storytelling Guides at TWA Sorong" was held on December 8-9, 2021. Both activities were held at TWA Sorong and the West Papua BBKSDA office. .
 
One of the practice sessions in “Training Story telling Scouting at TWA Sorong.” It appears that the activity participants are paying attention to the tourist activity briefing given by one of the main speakers. (Photo By: CI Indonesia/2021)
"We want the Sorong TWA to be well managed, the tourism functions to run well - of course, we need to make the best possible plans for the future, how to arrange the Sorong TWA into a tourist area that deserves to be developed and has high value, both for West Papua BBKSDA and its impact on communities around the area,” said Budi Mulyanto, S.Pd., M.Sc., Acting (Plt.) Head of West Papua BBKSDA, in the opening session of the activity.

Budi Mulyanto also emphasized the importance of building collaboration between communities around the area, relevant stakeholders, and also the local government of Sorong City, to jointly develop Sorong TWA into a natural tourist attraction for local, domestic and foreign tourists.
 
In addition to the West Papua BBKSDA and CI Indonesia, these two activities also involved two top executives from the Indonesian Tour Guide Association (HPI) – Raja Ampat, specifically as the main resource persons for the training, namely Ranny Iriani Tumundo and Ernes Broning Kakisina.
 
When met after the activity, Ranny Iriani Tumundo who is also the Chairman of HPI – Raja Ampat, assessed that TWA Sorong has high potential as a tourist attraction. However, Ranny also reminded, "(Need) Be careful in designing tourism management, because TWA Sorong is in the middle of the city, and has a potential conflict of interest in it: starting from excavation C, development around TWA Sorong, illegal logging, etc."
 
In summary, the training for preparing a tour package at TWA Sorong teaches participants topics such as the meaning and purpose of making a tour package, discussing a list of tourism potentials at TWA Sorong, setting priorities for potential, to techniques for preparing tour packages. Meanwhile, the guide storytelling training fulfills it with topics ranging from marketing strategies through various channels, tour guide training, to the understanding and techniques of storytelling and interpretation in tour guidance.
 
When contacted separately, the Manager of Tourism and Capacity Building for the Bird's Head Seascape (BLKB) from CI Indonesia, Meidiarti Kasmidi, stated that the collaborative partnership at TWA Sorong needs to continue to provide assistance and human resource development to KTH Matoa, so that its members can become guides. reliable travel.
 
Meidiarti Kasmidi also emphasized, “TWA Sorong needs to make arrangements, starting from facilities according to needs, providing a code of tourist conduct, to targeted promotions. All of this requires collaboration between stakeholders ranging from West Papua BBKSDA, indigenous peoples, related agencies from the Sorong City Government (Pemkot), to non-governmental organizations such as CI Indonesia.”

One of the participants from KTH Matoa, Yokbet Dumatubun, who also lives around TWA Sorong, stated, “This training has benefited us, teaching us to use social media to market tour packages. The hope is that the general public will know that there is a lot of potential in TWA Sorong.” Yokbet also felt that this training further strengthened the desire of himself and his fellow KTH members to maintain and participate in the management of this protected area.

SOURCE: https://teropongnews.com/2021/12/bbksda-papua-barat-gandeng-ci-indonesia-perkuat-kapasitas-twa-sorong/