COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, COMMUNITY READINESS, AND PREFERENCES TO PROMOTE EDU-TOURISM IN MANGROVE AREAS OF TELUK AWUR VILLAGE, JEPARA, INDONESIA

Community readiness is a crucial element in tourism development, essential for the sustainability of mangrove edu-tourism. The development of mangrove edu-tourism can also provide co-benefits to the community. This study analyzes community readiness and preferences for involvement in edu-tourism development in Teluk Awur, Jepara, Indonesia. Quantitative methods with scoring techniques were used to assess community readiness based on sustainability indicators and criteria such as capacity building, participation, awareness of sustainability, and local resource utilization. The results indicate that community readiness scores are low, showing unpreparedness for edu-tourism development. This lack of readiness is attributed to insufficient capacity building and community participation. The study recommends educating the community about the co-benefits of mangrove edu-tourism to enhance their participation and capacity.