Communication Studies Study Program Exploration of Pawon Gendis' Chocolate Tourism Village

Communication Studies Program, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta made a visit for community service at Pawon Gendis, precisely in Salakmalang Village, Banjarharjo Sub-district, Kalibawang District, Kulon Progo Regency with its local brand commonly called Chocolate Wondis. This visit continued the previous relay related to the exploration of the creative economy tourism potential of the local population.

This visit was more or less attended by 10 Lecturers of Communication Studies study program. It is hoped that from this visit the Communication Studies Study Program can find out the potential that exists in the village so that it can be used optimally to become the value of the dedication of the lecturers of the communication science study program. Initially, the head of the communication science study program said that in 2020 he and his colleagues only wanted to enjoy tourism around the village until he met the owner of the Pawon Gendis. "Let's explore the potential that exists, especially in this Wondis Chocolate. Hopefully with this visit we can all share the benefits," added the head of the communication science study program.

On this auspicious occasion, the Chairman of KWT Pawon Gendis and the owner of the Wondis Chocolate Shop Dwi Martuti Rahayu was delighted to be visited by the lecturers of the Communication Studies study program. He tells a lot of stories ranging from history, innovation to his experiences to being able to create a local chocolate brand that is now being ogled by local and central governments. "Our initial intention was only to educate local children to know more about vegetables, until the local government was challenged to process cocoa raw materials from Kulon Progo", he explained while showing off chocolate mixed with gotu kola vegetables.

The chocolates produced by Wondis are local chocolates that are obtained as raw materials for cocoa from Kulon Progo farmers which are then processed into several variants with varying prices. The owner of Wondis also has the dream of this production house not only as a place of production, but even later as a place of education, especially for children. "We are now collaborating with junior high school students as coaches for the wondis children's studio, besides that we are collaborating with our colleagues to make eco-print batik, and hopefully later we can become an educational tour that becomes an icon in Kulon Progo", he added while invites lecturers of communication science to tour the production room and around the place.

This exploration visit to this tourist village provides a view that there is still a lot of potential for local residents to make MSME products that can later compete at national and international levels. These potentials must be jointly supported from all fields in order to make these local business actors grow.