FEASIBILITY STUDY OF SENDANG SIKUCING BEACH AS A NEW ECOTOURISM OBJECT IN CENTRAL JAVA, INDONESIAGentur Handoyo, Agus Anugroho D.S., Petrus Subardjo and Mochammad ArdaniAbstract Coastal area has a great potential to be developed into an ecotourism object, one of which is a coastal area in the village of Sendang Sikucing, Regency of Kendal. The area has a wide variety of biological and nonbiological resources, along with a beautiful beach. Unfortunately, Sendang Sikucing coastal area had not been optimized as an ecotourism object. In fact, the development of Sendang Sikucing Beach can lead to society welfare and to increase the Village Own-source Income (PADes) and Local Own-source Income (PAD). This study aims (1) to analyze the feasibility of Sendang Sikucing Beach as an ecotourism object and (2) to formulate its development strategies. The method used is Tourism Suitability Index (in Indonesia Indeks Kesesuaian Wisata, IKW) analysis and SWOT Analysis. The results showed that Sendang Sikucing Beach received the title of Very Good (S1) and was very feasible to be developed as an ecotourism object. The strategy applied in its development is Stable Growth Strategy, which is growing gradually. Steps can be implemented in the area as follows to provide tourist facilities, promotion media transformation, and to build some breakwaters. Thus, Sendang Sikucing Beach can be an optimal coastal area for the economic development of local area. |