The Partnership of Tourism Stakeholders in Increasing Tourism Competitiveness in Bantul District

This study aims to examine the manifestation of stakeholders’ partnership in empowering community and the stages of actuating stakeholder ecotourism partnership in Dlingo district of Bantul regency. The study applied qualitative descriptive research design, focusing on primary data collected through structured interviews, questionnaires and direct observation in addition to secondary data. The research results demonstrate that tourism stakeholder partnership is a collaboration of government officials, universities, and CSR The pioneering collaboration has given birth to various tourism management trainings and art exhibitions. The study reveals that adequate and applicable planning is needed to develop tourist objects and attractions. The slow implementation of various policies concerning tourist area development is inseparable from the dearth of authority possessed by RPH and Dishutbun over forest management which is a national asset, resulting in procedures that seem convoluted. The research results also recommend the improvement of partnership involving various parties, especially in increasing the number and types of tourism and culinary trainings. The pattern of communication and coordination between pertinent institutions and tourism stakeholders should be intensified in solving problems in the field. Universities can contribute to scientific contributions in bridging the difficulties of the local village government in managing tourism in preserved forests.