Local knowledge and social innovation for inclusive community based tourism in Kampung Yoboi, Papua, Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract Community-based tourism connects livelihoods, cultural continuity, environmental stewardship, and local participation. However, local knowledge does not automatically become tourism value, tourism activity does not automatically constitute social innovation, and social innovation does not necessarily produce inclusive development. Drawing on social innovation theory, this study examines the conditional pathways connecting these processes in Kampung Yoboi, an Indigenous lake-based settlement in Papua, Indonesia. An interpretive qualitative case study used purposive sampling of 24 informants, semi-structured interviews, field observations, documentary reviews, and thematic analysis in NVivo 12. Sago knowledge, lake livelihoods, floating settlement practices, food, crafts, and storytelling acquire tourism value through community interpretations and visitor interactions. Their translation becomes socially innovative, reorganizing roles, relationships, collective learning, and community capabilities. However, inclusive outcomes remain incomplete because decision-making, benefits, infrastructure, capacity, knowledge documentation, and institutional coordination are unevenly distributed. This study proposes that local knowledge contributes to inclusive community-based tourism through community-authorized translation, relational recombination, and community-controlled institutionalization. Therefore, policy support should strengthen representative governance, socio-environmental infrastructure, cultural authority, continuous capacity building, intergenerational knowledge transfer, and transparent benefit sharing.

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