Depok-The Tourism Business Management study program, Vocational Education Program, Universitas Indonesia (UI), once again held a field practice activity entitled Java-Bali Overland (JBO) Tour 2025 on July 20-27, 2025. The activity, which was attended by 117 students from the class of 2023, included direct practice as tour guides, trip planners, tour leaders, and travel writers.
As one of the hallmark programs of the Tourism Business Management study program, the JBO activity also serves as a concrete form of vocational learning implementation that emphasizes direct practice in the field. This activity also involves lecturers as supervisors, namely Anisatul Auliya, S.ST.Par., M.Par.; Mahadewi, S.Sos., M.M.; Febrian, M.Si.; Mochamad Fajar Akbar, S.ST.Par., M.Si.Par., and Sri Suryani, M.M.
(Photo: Symbolic provision of three-separation trash bins to Candirejo Tourism Village)
Beyond academic practice, students and lecturers also engage in community service as part of the university’s three pillars of higher education. The community service program is implemented in three tourism villages, each with a thematic approach tailored to local needs and potential. In the first trip, to Cibuntu Tourism Village, Kuningan, students received education and training on photography techniques, hygiene and sanitation, food and souvenir packaging, the implementation of Sapta Pesona (Seven Charms), and disaster mitigation within the tourism industry.
Furthermore, in Candirejo Tourism Village, Magelang, community service includes waste-free tourism management, improving excellent service to attract tourists, optimizing promotions through Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and implementing occupational health and safety in the tourism sector. Finally, in Penglipuran Tourism Village, Bali, activities focused on training in social media content creation and website management as a promotional tool for the tourist destination.
(Photo: MSMEs packaging and product training for residents of Cibuntu Tourism Village)
The Head of the Tourism Business Management Study Program, Anisatul Auliya, S.ST.Par., M.Par., said, “JBO activities are a concrete implementation of vocational education. Students learn while simultaneously acting as implementers of activities, from field practice to serving as resource persons during community service.”
Echoing Auliya, Padang Wicaksono, S.E., Ph.D, Director of the UI Vocational Education Program, expressed his appreciation for this activity as a reflection of the experience-based vocational curriculum. “The vocational curriculum at UI Vocational is designed to directly address industry needs through experiential learning methods. Activities like JBO provide an important platform for students to apply their knowledge while also making a real contribution to society through community service in the tourism sector,” said Padang.
(Photo: Students take turns being tour guides during the 2025 JBO Tour)
Through this program, students not only hone their technical skills but also enhance their soft skills and regional insights, particularly in the context of managing and developing tourism villages in Indonesia. One student, Adriano Ananta Pangaribuan, shared his experience participating in JBO 2025. “This activity was not only a fun experience but also very meaningful because we were able to apply the theories we learned in class, from planning tours, providing excellent service, to digital promotion strategies directly in the field. Furthermore, we learned to adapt, work together as a team, and interact directly with the tourism village community, who are truly strategic partners in sustainable tourism development,” he explained.
Through the implementation of JBO 2025, UI Vocational reaffirms its commitment to producing graduates who are ready to enter the tourism industry with applicable, collaborative, and impactful competencies.
