Business Analytics to Support Sustainable Community-Based Tourism: Insights from a Community Development Project in Pengudang Village, Bintan, Indonesia

The Riau Islands province, particularly Bintan Regency, stands out as a prominent tourism destination in Indonesia. One significant segment contributing to this status is community-based tourism (CBT), practiced by Pengudang Village. This study examines Pengudang’s CBT, emphasizing environmental sustainability and community involvement. It discusses the role of local champions in driving CBT initiatives, the challenges faced, and the strategies implemented to overcome them. An academic-led community development project from the School of Business and Management, Institut Teknologi Bandung provided further support by developing a big data analytics tourism website and a tourism information booklet aimed at enhancing marketing efforts and promoting environmental awareness. This project involved understanding tourist behavior, creating a user-friendly web application, and utilizing web analytics to inform business strategies. The findings highlight the importance of community engagement, skill development, and environmental conservation in fostering sustainable tourism, offering valuable insights for similar CBT initiatives.