Sinergi Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) Pokdarwis dalam Pengembangan Destinasi Wisata

Abstract

Despite holding the title of Indonesia’s largest apple-farming village and receiving a Rp700 million investment to develop its Tourism Village Market, Andonosari Tourism Village continues to experience substantial fluctuations in visitor numbers. Visitor numbers declined sharply from 2,500 in 2021 to only 340 in 2022, indicating that previous promotional activities were driven more by temporary momentum than by a sustained communication strategy. This condition has become increasingly challenging amid growing competition among 17 tourism villages seeking to attract visitors from Pasuruan Regency, which recorded approximately 2.1 million tourist arrivals in 2024. In this context, the consistency and integration of promotional activities conducted by Pokdarwis Andonosari require further examination. This qualitative case study investigates the synergy of Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) implemented by Pokdarwis Andonosari in promoting the tourism village. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participant observation, and document analysis. Data were analyzed thematically through source and methodological triangulation to identify patterns of communication practices, organizational coordination, and promotional strategies. The findings demonstrate that Pokdarwis Andonosari has implemented several fundamental elements of IMC, particularly social media promotion, public relations, and sales promotion. However, these communication activities remain fragmented and operate independently, without a unified messaging framework or systematic coordination among organizational actors. The primary challenge is therefore not solely limited human resources but also the absence of a clear communication role structure within the Pokdarwis organization. Furthermore, the sustainability values embedded in the daily management of the tourism village have not yet been transformed into a coherent and distinctive marketing communication narrative. This limits the potential of sustainability practices to become a competitive identity for Andonosari Tourism Village. The study concludes that IMC synergy in community-based tourism requires not only promotional integration but also organizational restructuring and institutional capacity building. Developing formal brand guidelines, clarifying communication roles, and strengthening promotional coordination are recommended to establish consistent messaging and support the long-term sustainability and competitiveness of Andonosari Tourism Village.