SUSTAINABLE TOURISM COMMUNICATION THROUGH POKDARWIS (KELOMPOK SADAR WISATA) IN WEST BANDUNG DISTRICT

Sustainable tourism is a concept of tourism development emphasizing the efforts to maintain the environment and cultural preservation of the tourism object, which in turn would guarantee the sustainability of tourism objects for long period of time. However, this sustainable tourism concept might achieve its goals as long as it is supported by a proper policy communication. Department of Tourism and Culture of West Bandung District employs sustainable tourism communication through the Kelompok Sadar Wisata (Pokdarwis) in developing each of its top tourism objects. This study aims to investigate and analyze the sustainable tourism communication employed by Department of Tourism and Culture of West Bandung District through its Pokdarwis. This is a case study research where the data collection incorporates both observation and in-depth interviews with Department of Tourism and Culture of West Bandung District and two top Pokdarwis. The result indicates that sustainable tourism communication employed by Department of Tourism and Culture of West Bandung District including roadshow and workshop to every potential tourism object destination. The roadshow and workshop aim to encourage local people‟s active participation in developing potential tourism object in their area based on the concept of sustainable tourism by establishing its own Pokdarwis. Each Pokdarwis has to be able to generate development concept of its tourism object and in charge of the tourism object sustainability. Keywords: Policy Communication, Sustainable Tourism, Case Study, Kelompok Sadar  Wisata