Accelerating Bureaucratic Strengthening In Cultural Tourism Village Development: A Case Study Of The Trowulan Area, Mojokerto Regency

Abstract

Bureaucratic strengthening is an important foundation for achieving effective, inclusive, and sustainable rural development. In the context of cultural tourism villages, bureaucratic capacity extends beyond the administrative capabilities of village governments to include the ability to establish cross-sectoral coordination, manage resources, utilize digital technologies, and engage communities and other stakeholders in the development process. This study aims to analyze the dynamics of accelerating bureaucratic strengthening in the development of cultural tourism villages in the Trowulan area, Mojokerto Regency. The study employs a qualitative approach with a case study design. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 20 informants comprising village government officials, administrative personnel, community leaders, tourism-related MSME actors, and representatives of the local government, as well as through focus group discussions (FGDs), observations, and document analysis. The findings indicate that bureaucratic strengthening faces major challenges: limited bureaucratic capacity, fragmented coordination among actors, suboptimal institutional arrangements and division of authority, limited digitalization of administrative processes, and overlapping policy implementation. At the same time, the Trowulan area, as a cultural heritage area containing various historical destinations, requires a governance approach that involves government, communities, businesses, cultural organizations, and other supporting actors. The study demonstrates that accelerating bureaucratic strengthening should focus on continuous capacity building for government personnel, collaborative institutional arrangements, digital transformation, regulatory harmonization, and data-driven, participatory cultural tourism planning. The findings further demonstrate that bureaucratic strengthening is not merely a matter of improving administrative capacity but rather a process of institutional transformation aimed at creating adaptive, collaborative, and sustainable governance of cultural tourism villages.