This study evaluates Korea’s development assistance in Indonesia, focusing on the Tunak Ecotourism Park project in West Nusa Tenggara Province. The primary objectives are to assess the long-term impact of the ecotourism project on the local communit...
This study evaluates Korea’s development assistance in Indonesia, focusing on the Tunak Ecotourism Park project in West Nusa Tenggara Province. The primary objectives are to assess the long-term impact of the ecotourism project on the local communities’ livelihood and to provide insight into how development assistance can promote sustainable development. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the research collected qualitative data through in-depth interviews with key stakeholders including local communities, central and local government officials, and project documents. Quantitative data such as visitor numbers and tourism revenue were obtained from project report and ecotourism management financial reports. Referring to the debates on OECD DAC Principles for Evaluation of Development Assistance, this study will evaluate the development project through the long-term impacts of the project on the local communities' livelihood. The impacts are analyzed in the five dimensions of the Sustainable Livelihood Framework, namely human, physical, natural, financial, physical, and social capital. The study also examines the key factors led to positive long-term impacts of the case project. The findings indicate that the project has significantly benefited the local communities by providing employment opportunities and increasing their income. The study also found that key factors of the project’s success and sustainable outcomes were community involvement in the project from planning to management, and the provision of capacity building programs that enhanced local communities’ skills and promoted environmental conservation.