Adaptive Collaborative Governance for Post-Pandemic Tourism Development: A Case Study of Kemit Forest Education in Cilacap Regency, Indonesia. Adhy Andriwiguna (a*), Fitriyani Yuliawati (b), Riska Sarofah (c), Budi Nugraha (d), Triananda Genedin (e)
a) Faculty of Social Sciences and Political Science, Siliwangi University, Tasikmalaya 46115, Indonesia.
b) Faculty of Social Sciences and Political Science, Siliwangi University, Tasikmalaya 46115, Indonesia.
c) Faculty of Social Sciences and Political Science, Siliwangi University, Tasikmalaya 46115, Indonesia.
d) Faculty of Social Sciences and Political Science, Siliwangi University, Tasikmalaya 46115, Indonesia.
e) Faculty of Social Sciences and Political Science, Siliwangi University, Tasikmalaya 46115, Indonesia.
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally transformed tourism preferences from visual-oriented tourism toward experience-based tourism emphasizing authenticity, social interaction, and cultural engagement. This transformation has created significant challenges for tourism destinations that previously relied on mass tourism and photo-based attractions. Existing tourism governance studies predominantly focus on collaborative governance and destination recovery- however, limited attention has been given to how local tourism governance adaptively responds to changing tourist behavior and market transformation in the post-pandemic era.
This study aims to analyze the role of adaptive collaborative governance in responding to the transformation of tourism paradigms at Kemit Forest Education, Indonesia. Using a qualitative case study approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation involving key stakeholders, including destination managers, Perhutani, the Tourism Office of Cilacap Regency, and visitors.
This study synthesizes collaborative governance and adaptive governance perspectives to develop an adaptive collaborative governance framework in post-pandemic tourism development. The findings reveal that the drastic decline in tourist visits after the pandemic triggered institutional adaptation and governance transformation among stakeholders. The destination shifted from visual-based tourism toward experience-based tourism through the development of cultural attractions, creative spaces, social interaction-based tourism activities, and local cultural integration.
The study further demonstrates that the sustainability of tourism destinations in the post-pandemic era is determined not merely by inter-actor collaboration, but more importantly by the adaptive capacity of governance systems in responding to market disruption, changing tourist preferences, and socio-cultural transformation. This research contributes to the development of adaptive collaborative governance discourse within tourism governance studies, particularly in understanding local institutional resilience amid post-pandemic tourism transformation.
Topic: Building Adaptive and Digitally-Enabled Public Administrations for Responsive Governance (Adaptive Governance- Digital Public Administration- Responsive Public Service Delivery)
