ECO-TOURISM PROMOTION DESIGN OF BALIKPAPAN MANGROVE FOREST APPLIED IN AUGMENTED REALITY

• Main Author: Sonata Carlo Munthe, Rabin
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/63149
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

In the era of industry 4.0, digitalization has become an important and useful thing for many people. The challenges and opportunities that exist for digitalization, automation, and artificial intelligence through media, are interesting to study. Especially in a post-covid-19 recovery phase, the tourism industry needs to do massive promotions such as government programs. Digital promotion actually needs to be applied on tourism spot that are difficult to implement the conventional media such as mangrove forest conservation areas. The selection of smartphone and augmented reality media was chosen because it provides convenience and effectiveness in promoting. Research conducted in the Balikpapan mangrove forest ecotourism area has the aim of designing a concept and strategy of promotion by utilizing digital media such as websites and AR-based android applications. The website is used as a hub to facilitate the searching for destinations in Balikpapan, especially mangrove forests. AR applications promote the tourism destination as well as provide immersive experiences for target audience of young adults aged 18-35 years. The research process uses a design thinking framework, which consists of empathize, define, ideate, prototyping, and user testing. In promotional activities, researchers used the AISAS stage to introduce the Balikpapan mangrove forest center to the target audience. In testing the results of the prototype design, the researchers used the usability testing method with a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods. This research contributes to science related to promotional strategies using augmented reality-based digital media. By utilizing websites and AR applications, it helps reduce the amount of conventional media installed on tourist attractions and also attracts the attention of the target audience with interactive media. So it can contribute to promote Balikpapan tourist destinations and fulfill government programs to achieve national targets in developing tourism in Indonesia with digital media.