Developing Geotourism for Young Tourists Based on the Economic Aspects During the Covid-19 Pandemic in Silalahi Village, Indonesia

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has harmed the community's economy in the tourism sector. The decline in the number of tourists has caused several locations to close. In the challenges of these difficult times, the involvement of local communities and the availability of local products can help support the economy, where these factors are found in geotourism. Young tourists are one of the contributors to the tourism market, which is very profitable and can significantly improve the destination's local economy because they spend more time in tourist destinations than the average traveller. Therefore, our research aims to analyze young tourists' perceptions of the economic aspects of geotourism during the Covid-19 pandemic. The research location is in Silalahi Village, located on the western wall of the Toba Caldera coast, UNESCO Global Geopark, Indonesia. The method uses a mixed-method approach that combines quantitative and qualitative research. Quantitative data was collected through questionnaires from 100 young tourists aged 15-29 years who had visited Silalahi. The questionnaire was analysed using statistical processes with IBM SPSS 22. Field observation and in-depth interviews were carried out to obtain qualitative data. The results show that young tourists are quite satisfied with local products and community involvement while travelling in Silalahi village who applied CHSE health protocol certification during the pandemic. This study then identifies solutions to minimise the shortcomings in the economic aspect of geotourism in Silalahi Village.

Keywords: GeotourismEconomic aspectsYoung touristsCovid-19