IMPLEMENTASI KEBIJAKAN PROGRAM EKOWISATA SUSUR SUNGAI DI PROVINSI KALIMANTAN TENGAH

Quid River Ecotourism Program is a new tourism destination in Central Kalimantan Province presenting the beauty of nature and culture along the Kahayan and Rungan rivers. As a public policy, the Quid River Ecotourism Program involves multiple stakeholders. But the problem is among the stakeholders, they have not established an optimal synergy and cooperation. The implementation of quid River ecotourism program has not provided an optimal impact to achieve the policy objectives: (1) nature and the environment conservation, (2) community empowerment and (3) increased PAD. Departing from the background, the study aimed to answer the problems: How does implementation of the quid river ecotourism program in Central Kalimantan province and factors affecting the program implementation and the extent of program will be replicated by the community. By using theories of public policy and policy implementation, as well as ecotourism, the mindset of this study focused on five variables, e.g., coordination, attitudes and behavior, communication, bureaucratic structures and resources. Based on the pathway, the study draws conclusions as follow: (1) quid river ecotourism program can be replicated by the communities therefore the people as the actor of tourism, (2) the less optimally program implementation is due to lack of coordination, attitude and behavior of bureaucratic officials those considering the program as same as the usual project other than government projects, A limited understanding of ecotourism on specific groups, less optimal organizational functions due to lack of professionals and lack of tourism resources and lack of tourism development fund. In relation of the conclusions, this study proposes following suggestions: (1) provides the coordination mechanisms among stakeholders, (2) to prepare guidelines for tourist safety and security of the river edge, (3) socializes the cheap package tours and ecotourism for students, (4) provides opportunities to cooperate in developing ecotourism investor by observing the principles of nature and environmental conservation and community empowerment