PERAN WISATA BERBASIS ANIMAL WELFARE TERHADAP DAMPAK SOSIAL EKONOMI MASYARAKAT SEKITAR TAMAN NASIONAL WAY KAMBAS

ABSTRAK Wisata berbasis satwa di kawasan konservasi berpotensi memberikan dampak sosial ekonomi bagi masyarakat sekitar sehingga perlu dikelola dengan prinsip animal welfare. Taman Nasional Way Kambas (TNWK) mengembangkan wisata berbasis animal welfare di Pusat Latihan Gajah untuk menyeimbangkan konservasi dan kesejahteraan masyarakat. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengidentifikasi kegiatan wisata berbasis animal welfare, menganalisis persepsi masyarakat, serta menilai pengaruhnya terhadap kondisi sosial ekonomi masyarakat sekitar TNWK. Penelitian dilakukan pada September-Oktober 2025 dengan metode survei. Data dianalisis menggunakan analisis dekskriptif, skala likert, uji korelasi spearmen, dan regresi linier sederhana. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa kegiatan wisata di TNWK mencakup berbagai aktivitas edukatif, dengan persepsi masyarakat berada pada kategori cukup hingga baik, serta wisata berbasis animal welfare berpengaruh signifikan terhadap peningkatan pendapatan, peluang kerja, dan partisipasi masyarakat. Kata kunci: animal welfare, wisata konservasi, sosial ekonomi masyarakat ABSTRACT Wildlife-based tourism in conservation areas has the potential to have socio-economic impacts on surrounding communities and therefore needs to be managed with animal welfare principles. Way Kambas National Park (TNWK) is developing animal welfare-based tourism at its Elephant Training Center to balance conservation and community welfare. This study aims to identify animal welfare-based tourism activities, analyze community perceptions, and assess their impact on the socio-economic conditions of communities surrounding TNWK. The study was conducted from September to October 2025 using a survey method. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, a Likert scale, Spearman correlation tests, and simple linear regression. The results indicate that tourism activities in TNWK encompass a variety of educational activities, with community perceptions ranging from fair to good. Animal welfare-based tourism has a significant impact on increasing income, employment opportunities, and community participation. Keywords: animal welfare, conservation tourism, community socio-economics