TRADERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF THE IJEN GEOPARK AND THEIR ROLE IN SUPPORTING COVID-19 PREVENTION EFFORTS IN BODOWOSO, INDONESIA

The Ijen Geopark, situated in Bondowoso, Indonesia, is a vast area that supports local economic growth. The objective of this study was to analyze the behavior of Traders in supporting efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the Ijen Geopark area of Bondowoso. This was a descriptive explorative study using a cross-sectional. The research setting was in the main area of the Ijen Geopark. The study included 260 trader respondents. The sample was selected using the accidental sampling method. Qualitative and quantitative approaches were used to analyze the data. The results showed that 94.2% of the respondents were unfamiliar with the term of “Ijen Geopark area”. The Respondents were only familiar with the names of certain tourist attractions in the area, such as So’on Stone (37.3%), Wurung Crater (10.8%), Ijen Crater (10.4%) and the others (41.6%). The perception of the COVID-19 impact among traders indicated that 100% experienced a decreased income. Trader behavior in mitigating COVID-19 transmission demonstrates a high prevalence of handwashing with soap (86.9%) and consistent high physical distancing practices (53.1%). Nevertheless, 52.3% of the respondents did not wear a mask, 98.8% did not provide hand sanitizer, and 91.5% did not offer handwashing facilities. COVID-19 had a uniformly negative impact on traders. Although many practiced handwashing and physical distancing, gaps remain in mask usage, hand sanitizer provision, and handwashing facilities for visitors. Therefore, it is recommended to boost awareness and promote the use of mask, hand sanitizer and handwashing facilities to prevent the COVID-19 transmission in the Ijen Geopark.