Main Article Content
Abstract
This study explores the application of participatory communication in promoting sustainable tourism through the Natural Bengkulu digital campaign organized by the Bengkulu Provincial Tourism Office. Grounded in Participatory Communication Theory, the research aims to analyze how government agencies, creative communities, and the public collaborate in digital-based tourism promotion to strengthen the image of Bengkulu as a sustainable destination. A qualitative descriptive approach was used with data collected through in-depth interviews involving four key informants campaign administrators, local photographers, tourism community leaders, and active social media users supported by digital content observation of the official Instagram account @ disparprovbengkulu. The findings show that participatory communication in the Natural Bengkulu campaign manifests in three main forms. First, creative participation appears through user-generated content such as photos, videos, and narratives about tourism experiences that are reposted by the official account, expanding message diversity and audience reach. Second, dialogic participation emerges in interactive communication, comments, and discussions that create mutual engagement and encourage two-way dialogue between the tourism office and the public. Third, collaborative participation is reflected in offline tourism activities such as photo contests and community events that build collective involvement and strengthen local ownership of the campaign. These participatory practices have enhanced digital engagement, strengthened destination awareness, and supported sustainable tourism promotion considering environmental preservation and local cultural identity. In conclusion, participatory communication serves as an effective strategic approach in digital tourism branding, where the success of destination promotion depends on institutional collaboration and active citizen participation as co-communicators in digital spaces.