04 September 2025
Syafrijal S.Kom
Tongging Village is known as one of the leading destinations in Karo Regency, thanks to its stunning natural beauty, including panoramic views of Lake Toba and the Tongging Geosite area, which is part of the Toba Caldera Geopark. This potential makes Tongging a strategic point for tourism development in North Sumatra. However, like many other tourist destinations, Tongging faces challenges in maintaining environmental cleanliness, clean water availability, waste management, and stable prices for goods and services. Through a sustainable tourism approach, these challenges can be addressed systematically and participatory.
Sustainable tourism is not only about preserving nature, but also about building good governance, strengthening the local economy, and preserving community culture.
Furthermore, Tongging Village has strong social and natural capital to become a model for sustainable tourism villages in North Sumatra.
The University of North Sumatra (USU), through its Talenta 2025 Community Service Program, conducted outreach activities and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) in Tongging Tourism Village, Merek District, Karo Regency.
This activity is part of USU's commitment to supporting the development of sustainable tourism-based tourism villages, which is not only oriented towards economic growth but also emphasizes the importance of environmental preservation, local culture, and community welfare.
The USU Community Service Team, led by Prof. Ir. Nurlisa Ginting, M.Sc., Ph.D., along with team members Dr. Wahyuni Zahrah, S.T., M.S., and Dr. Anthoni Veery Mardianta, S.T., M.T., I.A.P., involved USU students and alumni, supported by the Tongging Village apparatus, Merek District, Karo Regency, the Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis), and the local community.
This activity received support from the Head of the Karo Regency Culture, Youth, Sports, and Tourism Office, Munarta Ginting, S.P., as a partner, signifying the Karo Regency government's active support for sustainable tourism development in Tongging.
The Focus Group Discussion (FGD), held on August 2, 2025, served as an educational platform for the community to understand the principles of sustainable tourism.
This discussion emphasized four main pillars: first, Transparent and Participatory Governance: Encouraging community involvement in decision-making, destination management, and monitoring of tourism activities.
Second, Socio-Economic Empowerment: Emphasizing the importance of involving local residents in tourism economic activities, such as homestays, culinary delights, crafts, and guide services.
Third, Preservation of Local Culture and Identity: Embracing traditional values, folklore, and local wisdom as authentic tourist attractions.
Fourth, Responsible Environmental Management: Encouraging environmentally friendly practices, such as waste management, water conservation, and the preservation of natural areas.
Furthermore, this activity introduced the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework as a foundation for tourism village development.
The three SDGs focused on are SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements, and SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.
By understanding the SDGs, the community can see tourism as part of comprehensive sustainable development, not simply an economic activity for short-term benefits. As a concrete form of support for tourism management, in addition to conducting outreach, the USU team installed informative signage in the Tongging Geosite area.
This signage contained general information, instructions, and prohibitions, including a sign prohibiting burning waste, which aims to maintain environmental quality and tourist comfort.
Furthermore, a brochure with guidelines for sustainable tourism practices was distributed to the community, containing simple steps that can be implemented in everyday life, such as reducing single-use plastics, utilizing local products, and managing household waste.
This activity also opened a dialogue between academics, the government, and the community to formulate long-term strategies for developing Tongging Village as a sustainable tourism destination.
This cross-sector collaboration is a crucial foundation for building an inclusive and resilient tourism ecosystem.
In her presentation, Prof. Nurlisa Ginting emphasized that the success of sustainable tourism depends heavily on active community involvement.
"The key to successful sustainable tourism lies in community participation. When communities understand the principles of sustainability, they become not only economic actors but also guardians of the environment and local culture," he said.
The Tongging Village Government also hopes this activity will serve as a crucial momentum to strengthen Tongging Village's capacity to create a competitive and sustainable tourist destination.
The Karo Regency Government is also expected to commit to continuing to support initiatives that encourage community-based tourism development.
Through this series of activities, the University of Indonesia (USU) hopes that Tongging Village can become a model for sustainable tourism not only in North Sumatra but also for other tourist villages. With its extraordinary natural potential, rich local culture, and collaborative community spirit, Tongging has all the elements to grow as a destination that is not only visually appealing but also socially, economically, and ecologically resilient.
Going forward, ongoing synergy between academics, the government, local communities, and business actors is needed to ensure that sustainability principles are truly integrated into every aspect of tourism management.
USU is committed to continuing to assist and make tangible contributions to this process, through research, education, and community service.
Thus, tourism in Tongging Village will not only become a source of income but also an instrument for strengthening identity, improving welfare, and preserving natural and cultural heritage for future generations.
