Analysis of Ecotourism, Culture and Local Community Empowerment: Case Study of Wasur National Park - Indonesia

The focus of this research lies in community empowerment based on culture and local communities as well as sustainable ecotourism, which is directed at a complicated mechanism of empowerment elements, local culture that is thick in ecotourism to get added value for the novelty of ecotourism research. The object of research is Wasur National Park (WNP), Papua, Indonesia. Qualitative methods have been used to obtain accurate data and information, i.e., in-depth interviews with indigenous people to find out the benefits or functions of their culture that can be developed in ecotourism, interviews with leaders and staff of WNP and the Department of Culture and Tourism to find out the potential and processes empowerment and existing tourism potential. As a result, from the perspective of empowerment, local people will easily follow the empowerment process provided that they use methods that are culturally appropriate which is from the viewpoints from the culture of sasi, totem and sacred places. The culture adopted by the community is in accordance with the principles of ecotourism that supports sustainability, environmental conservation, protection of environmental resources and increases economic value. However, it is recommended to carry out modified socialization in accordance with the current conditions. Hence, tourists who visit WNP do not become afraid of the very rigid sanctions which are applied to them who violate the existing cultural and environmental customs. Moreover, to get added economic value in the tourism business within WNP, it is necessary to explore the potential of cultural wealth, natural and biological wealth so that it becomes the main attraction in carrying out the economic empowerment of local communities in the field of ecotourism