Perkembangan Wisata Petualangan di Ekowisata Kali Talang, Klaten

Riffat R Alhafiy, Yulita Kusuma Sari, S.T., M.Sc.

2025 | Skripsi | PARIWISATA

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji perkembangan wisata petualangan di Ekowisata Kalitalang, Klaten, dari masa awal hingga saat ini, serta mengidentifikasi tantangan dan hambatan dalam pengelolaannya. Metode deskriptif kualitatif digunakan dengan kerangka kerja NIRVANA (Natural Resources & Geography; Infrastructure & Investment; Research & Management of Risk, Regulation, Market, & Marketing; Visitor Experience Management; Alignment; Nurturing Sustainability & Conservation; Accounting) sebagai dasar analisis. Data diperoleh melalui observasi, wawancara dengan pengelola, wisatawan, dan pemangku kepentingan lokal, serta studi dokumen. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Ekowisata Kalitalang telah bertransformasi signifikan. Sebelum pandemi COVID-19, destinasi ini berfokus pada daya tarik visual untuk swafoto, dengan infrastruktur sederhana yang dibangun secara swadaya masyarakat. Manajemen risiko dan pemasaran bersifat informal, serta transparansi keuangan masih menjadi tantangan. Pasca-pandemi, terjadi pergeseran menuju wisata petualangan aktif seperti tracking dan camping, didukung oleh peningkatan infrastruktur yang lebih permanen dan pendanaan dari TNGM serta Dana Desa. Pengelolaan risiko dan pemasaran menjadi lebih terstruktur dengan adanya SOP kebencanaan, asuransi pengunjung, dan promosi digital yang efektif. Kolaborasi antar pemangku kepentingan (TNGM, Pemerintah Desa, BUMDes, Pokdarwis, relawan) semakin kuat dan transparan, disertai dengan program keberlanjutan seperti penanaman pohon dan pengelolaan sampah. Tantangan meliputi risiko geografis, ketegangan awal dengan TNGM, keterbatasan SDM, infrastruktur, partisipasi masyarakat, serta ketergantungan pada tokoh sentral. Kesimpulannya, Kalitalang berhasil beradaptasi, dengan kolaborasi, transparansi, dan fokus pada keberlanjutan sebagai kunci pengembangan di kawasan rawan bencana.

This study aims to examine the development of adventure tourism in Kalitalang Ecotourism, Klaten, from its inception to the present, and to identify the challenges and obstacles in its management. A qualitative descriptive method was employed, using the NIRVANA framework (Natural Resources & Geography; Infrastructure & Investment; Research & Management of Risk, Regulation, Market, & Marketing; Visitor Experience Management; Alignment; Nurturing Sustainability & Conservation; Accounting) as the basis for analysis. Data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews with managers, tourists, and local stakeholders, as well as document studies. The research findings indicate that Kalitalang Ecotourism has undergone significant transformation. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the destination primarily focused on the visual appeal of "Merapi View" for selfies, with basic infrastructure built through community self-funding. Risk management and marketing were informal, and financial transparency remained a challenge. Post-pandemic, there was a shift towards active adventure tourism, such as tracking and camping, supported by improved and more permanent infrastructure and funding from Mount Merapi National Park (TNGM) and Village Funds. Risk and marketing management became more structured with clear disaster Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), visitor insurance, and effective digital promotion. Collaboration among stakeholders (TNGM, Village Government, Village-Owned Enterprises/BUMDes, Pokdarwis, volunteers) strengthened and became more transparent, accompanied by sustainability programs such as tree planting and waste management. Challenges included geographical risks, initial tensions with TNGM, human resource limitations, infrastructure, community participation, and reliance on central figures. In conclusion, Kalitalang successfully adapted from passive to active tourism, with collaboration, transparency, and a focus on sustainability as key drivers for development in a disaster-prone area.

Kata Kunci : Wisata Petualangan, Ekowisata Kalitalang, NIRVANA Framework, Pengelolaan Destinasi