Yogyakarta, 1st December 2025 – The Doctoral Study Program in Tourism Studies at the Graduate School (SPs) of Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) affirmed its commitment in supporting sustainable tourism with a book launch and strategic workshop. The event, organized by the Monitoring Center for Sustainable Tourism Observatories (MCSTO), was held in Auditorium Room A, 5th Floor of the UGM Graduate School, focusing on the expanded implementation of STO (Sustainable Tourism Observatories) in the Borobudur-Yogyakarta-Prambanan (BYP) area. The event, themed: “Launching the Visitor Management Book and Workshop on STO Expansion in the BYP Key Tourism Area for the Implementation of Higher Education’s Tri Dharma,” was officially opened by the Dean of the UGM Graduate School. The opening also included remarks from the Head of MCSTO/Chief of the Tourism Doctoral Study Program, who emphasized the program’s role in research and community service within the tourism sector.
The first session was dedicated to the Launching and Book Review of “Visitor Management,” which was thoroughly discussed by multidisciplinary experts. Dr. Frans Teguh, M.A., served as the resource person (Narasumber), and Dr. Ir. Djoko Wijono, M.Arch. (Lecturer in the Tourism Program), along with Ms. Neysa Amelia (Director of Tourism Destinations, Borobudur Authority Agency), served as the reviewer (Pengulas) in this in-depth discussion. This session aimed to provide a conceptual foundation for balanced and sustainable management of tourist visits, which is now a crucial issue in high-density destinations like BYP. Entering the second session, the event’s focus shifted to practical implementation and policy. Dr. Frans Teguh, MA, as the Secretary General of ICST, delivered a keynote on Sustainable Tourism Policy and STO. His presentation highlighted the relevance of STO as a data-based monitoring tool necessary for sound decision-making by the industry and government.
The experience of STO implementation by UGM was presented by the Head of UGM MCSTO, Hendrie Adji Kusworo, M.Sc., Ph.D. He detailed the monitoring results achieved by UGM MCSTO, as well as the challenges and opportunities in expanding the reach of these observatories. The integration of academia, government, and industry was reinforced by a presentation on Sustainable Tourism Development in the BYP Area. This material was delivered by Agustin Paranginangin, Director of BOB (Borobudur Authority Agency), accompanied by Dr. Muhamad, S.T., M.T. The session underscored the importance of data and academic research (Tri Dharma) in supporting the planning and operations of the Authority Agency in this super-priority destination area.
Ina Veronika Ginting, one of the workshop participants, expressed high appreciation for the initiative. According to her, the presentation on STO implementation and data integration is a fundamental key in destination management practice. “Today’s material truly opened my eyes that sustainable tourism can no longer be measured solely by the number of tourists, but must be based on scientific data. This collaboration between UGM and the Authority Agency provides a concrete example of how science must be integrated into tourism policy, which is extremely beneficial for us, the industry practitioners and academics,” she stated.
The event concluded with a discussion and concluding session led by the moderator, and was formally closed by the Chief of UGM MCSTO, Dr. Muhamad, S.T., M.T., reinforcing the commitment of the Tourism Studies Doctoral Study Program to continue being a strategic partner in realizing high-quality and sustainable Indonesian tourism.
Author: Berlian Belasuni