Yogyakarta, July 3rd 2026 — The Tourism Master’s Program Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada (SPs UGM), as part of the implementation of the Community Service (PKM) program, in collaboration with Wukirsari Tourism Village organized the “Workshop Pengemasan Pekarangan sebagai Atraksi Wisata Wukirsari” (Workshop on Packaging Yards as Tourist Attractions in Wukirsari). This activity aimed to change the paradigm that a yard is not only an ordinary home space, but also serve as a meaningful experiential space for tourists. Within this concept, tourists are invited to interact directly through a simple tourism formula: look, hear, try, taste, and take home.
The conducive event commenced with an opening ceremony led by local community leaders, namely the Village Chief (Pak Lurah) and Hamlet Chief (Pak Dukuh). Entering the first material session, participants received a comprehensive presentation on the concept of yards as attractions, which was then followed by a symbolic seed handover session by Prof. Edi and Bu Fifi. To strengthen practical understanding, the agenda continued with a tourist attraction education demonstration session. In this session, the speaker Pak Jhon, accompanied by Hanun and Aisyah, directly demonstrated plant cultivation techniques such as top grafting, air layering, and stem cutting.
The core of this workshop centered on the material for the preparation and assessment of yards, guided by Azus and the team. Participants were divided into five discussion groups to map the initial potential using visual aids in the form of group flipcharts. They classified the yards into several of the strongest and most realistic main themes, such as natural dyes and batik making, food security, spices and herbs, local home culinary, and plant cultivation education. This mapping enables residents to design plant layouts, activities, culinary offerings, and weave engaging storytelling for visitors.
The activity proceeded after the lunch break with a field observation agenda to observe the implementation of the discussed concepts firsthand. This joint survey traced the route of residents’ yards, with visiting points at the houses of Pak Jauhari and Bu Nurjanah. At these locations, participants observed the availability of space, access, and the potential for tourist activities that could be developed sustainably. The workshop series was then concluded with a final results discussion session held warmly at Joglo Opak.
This tourism-based yard packaging initiative is a concrete step by SPs UGM to establish village economic independence and supporting environmental sustainability. The optimizing function of the yard into a sustainable environment and an aesthetic interaction space showed this PKM program also contributes directly to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The improvement of community independence is achieved by encouraging Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), which also aligns perfectly with efforts to build Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11).
Author: Berlian Belasuni