Main Article Content
Abstract
Tourism development has become a strategic driver for regional economic growth, yet it simultaneously brings both positive and negative consequences to local environments and communities. Uncontrolled tourism expansion can result in cultural commodification, social disruption, and ecological degradation. These challenges highlight the urgency of designing an integrative sustainability system that harmonizes tourism activities with ecological preservation and sociocultural resilience. This study explores Petungkriyono, a protected highland forest region in Central Java, Indonesia, as a model for sustainable tourism development through the case of Genau Indonesia, a community-based tourism initiative. Genau Indonesia implements ecotourism practices rooted in environmental stewardship and local empowerment. Its programs promote low-impact adventure tourism, conservation education, and community participation in ecological work such as river restoration, reforestation, waste reduction, and biodiversity monitoring. In addition to environmental benefits, the initiative contributes significantly to the revitalization of local cultural spaces. Indigenous values such as guyub, ruang komunal desa, and traditional arts are integrated into tourism narratives, creating meaningful cultural experiences for visitors while reinforcing community identity. This study adopts a qualitative case study approach, combining interviews, media and document analysis to examine how Genau Indonesia operationalizes sustainability principles. Findings reveal that the integration of ecology, culture, and economy through collaborative governance between villagers, youth communities, and local activists strengthens tourism resilience and contributes to long-term sustainability. Genau operationalized model demonstrates that tourism can serve not only as an economic sector but also as a platform for cultural continuity and environmental regeneration. This case provides insights for replicating integrative sustainability systems in other rural tourism destinations in Indonesia and beyond.