Paradiplomacy in the Tourism Sector through BIMP-EAGA Cooperation: A Study of West Kalimantan

This study examines the efforts of the West Kalimantan Provincial Government to strengthen the tourism and creative economy sectors through subnational cooperation within the BIMP-EAGA framework. Using an exploratory qualitative approach, the study collected primary data through semi-structured interviews with government officials and stakeholders directly involved in the formulation and implementation of West Kalimantan’s paradiplomacy initiatives in the tourism sector. A total of three informants were selected based on their institutional relevance and direct involvement in BIMP-EAGA cooperation. Secondary data were obtained from official documents, policy reports, and relevant literature. The collected data were analyzed using qualitative descriptive analysis through data reduction, data classification, and interpretation. The findings reveal challenges in coordinating with Malaysian regional governments and in aligning policies between the West Kalimantan Provincial Government and Indonesia’s central government. In addition, partnerships with non-governmental organizations and other non-state actors remain limited due to weaknesses in Indonesia’s tourism regulatory framework. The implementation of the BIMP-EAGA tourism agenda, despite support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), has also been constrained by bureaucratic complexity and the inefficient management of human and financial resources. These conditions have affected the implementation of tourism cooperation and the development of the creative economy sector in West Kalimantan. Therefore, this study recommends stronger coordination between central and local governments, greater involvement of non-state actors, and broader recognition of tourism as a cross-sectoral priority in regional diplomacy and creative economic development.