INNOVATION IN A SUSTAINABLE RICE FIELD TOURISM MODEL BASED ON THE ECOS APPROACH: TRANSFORMING SIPAKU AREA VILLAGE IN ASAHAN REGENCY INTO A LEADING ECOTOURISM DESTINATION

Authors

  • Rahmad Kurnia Abdik Nasution
  • Agus Made Yoga Iswara
  • Firman Sinaga

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v23.7121

Keywords:

Sipaku Area Village, Ecotourism Opportunity Spectrum (ECOS), Ecotourism, Sustainability, Rice Field Tourism

Abstract

The development of sustainable rice field tourism has become a strategic issue amid the increasing conversion of agricultural land and the degradation of agrarian ecosystems that threaten the ecological, social, and economic resilience of rural areas, including Sipaku Area Village, Asahan Regency. Although this village possesses significant potential in the form of expansive rice field landscapes, traditional agricultural practices, and strong social capital, the management of rice field tourism has not yet been supported by a structured, contextual, and sustainability-oriented model. Therefore, this study aims to design an innovative sustainability model for rice field tourism based on the Ecotourism Opportunity Spectrum (ECOS) approach to integrate environmental, social, and economic aspects and to support the transformation of Sipaku Area Village into a leading ecotourism destination. This research employs a qualitative approach with an exploratory case study design to analyze the development of sustainable rice field tourism in Sipaku Area Village through in-depth collection of primary and secondary data. The analysis is conducted using the ECOS and SWOT approaches to formulate an innovative and sustainable rice field tourism management model that supports the transformation of Sipaku Area Village into a leading ecotourism destination. The research findings indicate that Sipaku Area Village has significant potential to be developed as a leading ecotourism destination based on rice field tourism; however, its management still faces limitations in infrastructure, human resource capacity, and management systems. The Ecotourism Opportunity Spectrum (ECOS) approach, combined with SWOT analysis, highlights the need to strengthen community-based management and to integrate environmental, social, and economic aspects in a sustainable manner. The innovation of a sustainability model for rice field tourism based on ECOS emerges as a key strategy to enhance tourism competitiveness while preserving the agrarian ecosystem and cultural heritage of Sipaku Area Village.

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Published

2026-07-07

How to Cite

Nasution, R. K. A., Iswara, A. M. Y., & Sinaga, F. (2026). INNOVATION IN A SUSTAINABLE RICE FIELD TOURISM MODEL BASED ON THE ECOS APPROACH: TRANSFORMING SIPAKU AREA VILLAGE IN ASAHAN REGENCY INTO A LEADING ECOTOURISM DESTINATION. Veredas Do Direito, 23(11), e237121. https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v23.7121

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Vol. 23 No. 11 (2026): Veredas do Direito, v. 23, n. 11 2026

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