Ecocultural Communication Strategies and Javanese Local Wisdom in Strengthening the Branding of Barokah Tourism Village

Abstract

The management of Pakel Hamlet, Karangpandan, as a tourism destination began in 2017 through a collaboration between the local community and the Isy Karima Islamic Boarding School empowerment team, forming the Language Tourism Village (Kampung Wisata Bahasa/KWB). The village thrived in 2019 with its flagship programs in English, Japanese, and Arabic learning. However, the number of visitors declined during the 2020–2022 pandemic. In early 2024, the village underwent a rebranding process, becoming the Barokah Tourism Village (Kampung Wisata Barokah). This study aims to analyze the ecocultural-based intercultural communication strategies and Javanese local wisdom values that support its promotion and rebranding efforts. A qualitative method was employed, using in-depth interviews as the primary data collection technique. The findings reveal that: (1) the intercultural communication strategy harmonizes two strong cultural elements, namely Islamic boarding school and Javanese rural traditions; (2) it integrates key cultural elements such as language, collective historical memory, religious values, and Javanese local wisdom; and (3) its implementation in promotion and rebranding is strengthened by the development of agrarian, local cultural, and wellness-based tourism concepts.