25 September 2025
Fenny Julistine Tarigan
From a village once marked by uncertainty and conflicts over tourism assets, Kutagugung has now transformed into a new tourism destination called Foursety. This remarkable transformation was made possible through the initiative of Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) under its community service program, led by Samerdanta Sinulingga, S.ST.Par., M.Par., in collaboration with lecturers from various faculties and students who worked directly with the local community.
At the beginning of 2025, Kutagugung faced a complex situation. Disputes with investors at Lake Lau Kawar, uncertainty over the legality of tourism assets, and the absence of village income had created a prolonged deadlock.
The community had lost faith in development efforts after witnessing government aid projects, such as swimming pools and pedestrian walkways then fail to generate financial benefits. At one point, some even considered staging mass demonstrations demanding justice in tourism governance.
Amidst the tension, the USU team arrived not merely to provide counseling but to create real solutions. Together with Prof. Dr. Nurlisa Ginting, M.Si., Head of the USU Center of Excellence for Sustainable Tourism, and experts such as Prof. Dr. Rudy Sofyan, the team initiated the ASTACITA Summit 2025. This forum brought together the government, academia, the community, and the media to establish a peace agreement and a new direction for development.
From this forum, Foursety was born with a name rich in philosophy and collaboration. “FOUR” represents four key forces : the government, academia, the community, and the media. Meanwhile, “SETY” symbolizes loyalty in collaboration and the courage to turn challenges into opportunities. Thus, Foursety is not merely a name but a conceptual identity that reinforces the village’s sense of ownership over its tourism development.
“Foursety is not just a destination; it is proof that knowledge can illuminate the path for a village,” emphasized Samerdanta Sinulingga. He stressed that USU’s community service goes beyond seminars and workshops that represents a real movement that brings meaningful change to people’s lives. According to him, the process from conceptualization to tangible economic impact in Kutagugung demonstrates how effective collaboration can transform challenges into opportunities.
In less than 30 days since its launch on August 8, 2025, the village’s gross income reached approximately IDR 15 million, a significant economic leap for Kutagugung. This success was driven by active community participation: a local resident donated part of his land for tourism expansion, women from the Family Welfare Movement (PKK) managed the tourism canteen, village youths became tour guides, and BUMDes Deleng Lancuk managed the tourism unit, which is now poised to become an official Pokdarwis (Tourism Awareness Group).
Samerdanta emphasized that the involvement of residents at every level ensures that the tourism initiative is not only owned but also sustained by the community itself. The success of Foursety was also fueled by USU’s innovations and transparent management free of illegal levies, Instagram-based digital promotion that reached over 800,000 views, action-oriented pentahelix collaboration that restored public trust, and the creation of Foursety as a conceptual novelty in the realm of rural tourism.
He further noted that this model not only provides short-term economic benefits but also builds a foundation of sustainability that can serve as an inspiration for other villages across North Sumatra and Indonesia.
Today, Foursety serves as a living laboratory for USU students to learn about tourism management, digital marketing, and visitor services. For the community, the steady growth of tourist arrivals represents not only economic opportunity but also renewed confidence in their village’s ability to thrive independently. This transformation proves that community service can go far beyond seminars and training so it can become a real movement that reshapes the future of a village.
