KAJIAN POTENSI WISATA KULINER PANTAI AMPENAN SEBAGAI OBYEK WISATA PANTAI UNGGULAN KOTA MATARAM

Abstract

Since the establishment of the KEK Mandalika in 2017, Lombok Island has now become one of the main tourist destinations in Indonesia. In addition to the types of natural and cultural tourism offered, there are also special culinary delights such as plecing kale, ayam Taliwang, sepat, bebalung which tourists like. The culinary aspect has a very strong role in the  successful development of a destination (Pepela & O'Halloran, 2014), because enjoying local food can provide  opportunities for tourists to learn about the geography and culture of the local community (Richards, 2002). The Mataram City Government is aware of this and compiles a plan to build a culinary tourism spot that not only focuses on culinary delights, but also natural beauty, arts and culture. The Mataram City Tourism Office in collaboration with the Faculty of Engineering, University of Mataram conducted a feasibility study on the arrangement of culinary tourism spots in the coastal area of the Ampenan Old City, which is expected to produce an initial study to prepare development planning and the basis for decision making. This study activity is descriptive qualitative. The data sources used are primary data from observations and interviews. Secondary data were obtained from documents, literature and scientific journals. Based on the results of the analysis, the conclusion is that Ampenan Beach is feasible and has the potential to be used as a culinary tourism spot, because of its close position from the city center, it can strengthen the image of the area, support revitalization, and have adequate facilities and infrastructure