Gap Analysis of Integrated Tourism-Based Homestay Services (Case Study at Agro Edu Wisata Organic Mulyaharja, Bogor)

Abstract

This study aims to identify gaps in the quality of homestay services in the Mulyaharja Organic Agro-Edu Tourism (AEWO) area, Bogor City, against the Tourism Cottage Business Standards set by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy. In the context of Community-Based Tourism (CBT), homestays play a strategic role as accommodations that not only offer a place to stay, but also cultural values ​​and deep social interactions. Using a qualitative approach with a case study method, involving homestay owners as key informants selected through a purposive sampling technique. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews based on the five dimensions of SERVQUAL: reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and physical evidence, and analyzed thematically using deductive-inductive coding techniques. It shows that the main strengths of homestays lie in the dimensions of empathy and responsiveness, which are reflected through warm social interactions and personal services from homestay owners. However, weaknesses were found in the dimensions of assurance, reliability, and physical evidence, such as the lack of written SOPs, limited standard facilities, and minimal service security aspects. The absence of operational procedures causes variations in services between homestays, which has the potential to reduce tourist satisfaction and loyalty. This study emphasizes the importance of developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) based on local values ​​and SERVQUAL dimensions, along with ongoing training for homestay managers. Support from local governments and tourism higher education institutions is needed to ensure the sustainability, consistency of service quality, and competitiveness of homestays in the domestic and international tourism markets. This research opens the door for further research to measure the relationship between service quality, tourist satisfaction, and economic sustainability in a community-based homestay model.

Keywords: Homestay; SERVQUAL; Community-Based Tourism; SOP;