Strengthening the Capacity of Pokdarwis Hamandit in Sustainable Tourism Management in the Loksado Area, Hulu Sungai Selatan Regency
Abstract
Loksado is one of the leading tourism destinations in South Kalimantan with significant potential for community-based tourism development. However, limited institutional and managerial capacity among local tourism organizations remains a challenge to sustainable tourism management. This community service program aimed to strengthen the capacity of Pokdarwis Hamandit through participatory training and mentoring in organizational governance, event management, administrative and financial management, sponsorship proposal preparation, and tourism promotion. The program was conducted on 15–17 May 2026 in Loksado Village, Hulu Sungai Selatan Regency, South Kalimantan, involving 20 participants and employing a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach. Program effectiveness was evaluated using pre-test and post-test assessments, Normalized Gain (N-Gain) analysis, participant satisfaction questionnaires, and reflective discussions. The results showed an increase in participants’ mean knowledge score from 46.80 in the pre-test to 75.20 in the post-test, representing an improvement of 28.40 points and an N-Gain value of 0.53 (moderate category). The program also generated a copyright-registered Modul Pembentukan Kepanitiaan Event POKDARWIS Hamandit Desa Loksado under Registration Number 001240992 and initial tourism packages based on local potential, including Kalimantan orchid cultivation and local souvenir development. Participant satisfaction was positive, with 70% of participants reporting that they were very satisfied and 30% satisfied. These findings indicate that participatory capacity-building can improve participants’ initial understanding of sustainable tourism management and provide practical foundations for strengthening community-based tourism institutions, although continued mentoring is needed to support sustained organizational capacity and independence in Loksado.