Cigombong is a sub-district in Bogor Regency which is included in the agricultural diversification and agro-ecotourism development zone. Cigombong is a tourist attraction because it is surrounded by hills, rice fields, rivers, and waterfalls. The Cigombong’s natural wealth utilization as a tourist attraction is seen at Elang Loji Sanctuary Campground. This place is a breeding ground for various types of eagles and also functions as a shady camping spot because of pine tree decoration.
Unfortunately, Cigombong is less popular than other areas in Bogor as a major tourist destination. Lecturer in the Indonesian Studies Program, Faculty of Humanities UI, Dr. Sunu Wasono said, “Cigombong has many tourist attractions and villas that are interesting to explore and introduce to the wider community. We need development in areas that have agro-ecotourism potential so it is as popular as other tourist attractions, such as Puncak, Bogor.”
To develop tourist attractions in Cigombong, the UI Community Service Team holds community service activities at Bina Spora Mandiri High School, Cigombong. The service team equips high school students with popular writing skills so they can be actively involved in promoting tourism objects in their area. Through this activity, we hope that the Cigombong tourist attraction can be recognized by the wider community.
The UI service team consists of 3 lecturers from the Faculty of Humanities UI, Dr. Syahrial, Dr. Sunu Wasono, and Silva Tenrisara Pertiwi Isma, M.Hum., and 10 students from the Faculty of Humanities UI, namely Alda Ekanael Lamba, Ashilah Rayya, Dita Aliccia, Indira, Khaira Amalia, Lutfiah Yuniarni, Nicole Dameria, Rayhan Hakim, Suhargo, and Theresella Mercy.
The community service series began with a Forum Group Discussion (FGD) which discussed tourist attractions in the Cigombong area and its surroundings, including nature tourism, culinary tourism, and accommodation. The community service activity was continued with training in writing popular articles and attended by around 50 students in the second and third grades at Bina Spora Mandiri High School. In this training, students learned writing techniques, used attractive language, and ways to promote tourist destinations effectively.
This activity also involves collaboration between students and the local community. Students are invited to explore the Cigombong area to look for tourist destinations that they think are interesting to write about. Meanwhile, the Cigombong community plays a role in providing guidance and deeper insight to students regarding their cultural heritage. The writings written by Bina Spora Mandiri High School students were then edited by UI students to turn into a book that would be distributed to the school and UI students.
The founder of Bina Spora Mandiri High School, Muzakkir, fully supports UI’s community service activities. “This activity is not only beneficial for developing Cigombong tourism but also developing students’ writing skills. I hope the students can continue to explore their abilities from their seniors at UI and improve their writing article skills,” said Muzakkir at the community service activities in August and September 2023.
