Social and cultural impacts of the Selo hiking trail in Mount Merbabu National Park: a case study on community interaction and sustainable tourism development

Abstract

Background: Mount Merbabu is one of the natural attractions in Central Java that attracts local and foreign tourists with the Selo Trail as the most popular climbing route for tourists. The number of tourist visits on the Selo Hiking Trail has increased significantly every year. Tourism activities on the Selo Hiking Trail have a social and economic impact on the surrounding community, both directly and indirectly. Methods: This study aims to analyze the social and cultural impacts of climbing tourism activities on the Selo Climbing Trail, Mount Merbabu National Park (TNGMb), Central Java. The analysis method used is descriptive qualitative analysis with a Likert scale. Results: The results showed that tourism development in the Selo Hiking Trail had a significant impact on the level of community cooperation, social values, and livelihoods. The level of cooperation between communities increased, which was reflected in the formation of joint businesses and community activities. The social and cultural values of the community have changed, including the style of language and dress. In addition, there has been an increase in the number of livelihood types and community incomes. However, crime and violence around the tourism area are considered low. Findings: This study concludes that hiking tourism activities on the Selo Hiking Trail have a significant positive impact on the social and economy of the local community, while maintaining the sustainability and wisdom of local culture needs to be a concern in sustainable tourism management.