The Tourism Doctoral Program, Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada (SPs UGM), organized a Field Study on Tourism Destination Management on Thursday, April 9th 2026. The activity was attended by 12 doctoral students as part of a practice-based learning approach aimed at strengthening their understanding of tourism destination planning and management.
The activity began in the morning with departure from the UGM Graduate School to Wonosobo, Central Java. Upon arrival, participants immediately conducted observations and discussions at several leading tourist destinations, namely Sigandul, Panama Tea Plantation, and Telaga Menjer.
This field study aimed to identify various aspects of tourism destination development, including social and environmental development, as well as legal and governance aspects. The students examined the environmental impacts of tourism activities directly in the field.
Throughout the activity, students engaged in group discussions and in-depth observations to connect theoretical knowledge acquired in the classroom with real-world practices. This activity also served as a platform to enhance strategic analysis skills, particularly in understanding destination development issues and the roles of stakeholders.
“Through this field study, students are expected to comprehensively understand the dynamics of tourism destination management while linking them to the theoretical frameworks they have learned,” said one of the course lecturers.
This field study, in addition to enhancing conceptual understanding, is expected to produce outputs in the form of comprehensive reports, tourism destination maps, and evidence-based field data analysis. These outputs will play an important role in supporting students’ academic processes and research, particularly in the preparation of their dissertations.
The Tourism Doctoral Program at SPs UGM seeks to bridge academic theory with real-world practice, while also enhancing students’ technical competencies and soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving in professional contexts.
The activity concluded in the afternoon with participants returning to Yogyakarta. Overall, the field study ran smoothly and provided meaningful learning experiences for all participants.
Author: Asti Rahmaningrum