State Polytechnic of Bangka Belitung Lecturers Boost Digital Ecotourism at Penyusuk Beach Through Community Mentoring Program
The team of lecturers and students from Polman Negeri Babel together with members of the Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis), the Community Forestry (HKm) group, MSME players, and local youth following the Community Service Program (PKM) at Penyusuk Beach, Belinyu District.
The scenic beauty of Penyusuk Beach in Belinyu District holds immense potential to become a premier tourist destination in Bangka Regency. However, harnessing this captivating natural asset requires professional management and digital technology support to thrive amidst the evolving tourism industry. To address this, a team of lecturers from the Bangka Belitung State Manufacturing Polytechnic (Polman Babel) introduced a Community Service (PKM) program titled "Accelerating Local Tourism Ecosystem Independence through Partnership-Based Mentoring for Digital Ecotourism Development at Penyusuk Beach."
Launched on Saturday, June 20, 2026, the program—led by Polman Babel lecturers Indah Riezky Pratiwi, M.Pd., Sari Mubaroh, M.Pd., Muhammad Setya Pratama, M.Si., and Novitasari, M.Pd.—received funding from the Directorate of Research and Community Service (DPPM) under the Directorate General of Research and Development, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (2026). The initiative engaged 35 participants, including members of the Community Forest (HKm) group, the Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis), MSME operators, and local youth.
When interviewed on Thursday, July 16, 2026, the PKM team leader, Indah Riezky Pratiwi, M.Pd., explained that prior to the program, the management of Penyusuk Beach faced various challenges. These included the lack of a clear organizational structure, the absence of established tourism service standards, and suboptimal use of the website as a promotional tool and information hub. "Effective management is the key to sustainable tourism development," she noted.
To address these issues, the community service team conducted a series of discussions, training sessions, practical exercises, and mentoring activities. On Saturday, July 11, 2026, participants attended training on product packaging, digital-based tourism service standardization, and ecotourism website optimization. These sessions aimed to equip participants with the skills to create tour packages and develop MSME products, while simultaneously enhancing the quality of service provided to tourists.
Furthermore, the community needs to successfully develop more structured tourism packages—incorporating local culinary information, tour guide services, facility rentals, and MSME products—that can be promoted via a website and presented systematically, making them easily accessible to tourists before they visit Penyusuk Beach," he explained.
"As part of the ongoing support, the team of lecturers provided a standard template for packaging digital-based tourism products and services. This template serves as a guide for managers to craft product information that is more engaging and informative, and which commands higher market value in the digital era," he added.
"The mentoring program continued on Saturday (July 18, 2026), focusing on optimizing website-based digital marketing. Activities included formulating promotion strategies, creating engaging content, and utilizing the website as a central hub for destination information and MSME product promotion—specifically producing at least five pieces of digital promotional content to expand the reach of information to potential tourists."
"This program is designed to build a foundation for sustainable ecotourism management—ranging from institutional strengthening and the standardization of products and services to enhanced digital marketing—enabling the community to independently manage and promote tourism potential so that economic benefits can be felt more widely," he stated.
Meanwhile, Fitrawati, the Head of the Penyusuk Beach Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis), noted that the guidance provided by the Polman Negeri Babel lecturer team has given the community a better understanding of organizational task distribution, tourism service standards, and the use of digital technology for promotion. This ensures Penyusuk Beach becomes better known to tourists and evolves into a premier ecotourism destination that delivers tangible improvements to community welfare," she explained.
"We are deeply grateful to the lecturers from Polman Babel—the leading vocational campus in Bangka Belitung—for not only producing excellent human resources but also delivering innovations and guidance that drive economic development based on local potential. Their efforts help Penyusuk Beach grow into a sustainable digital ecotourism icon that brings pride to Bangka Regency," she concluded.
