English Language Education for Tourism Development: A Case Study of Mekar Sari Village
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Abstract
This study examines the relevance of English language education to tourism development in Mekar Sari Village, East Lombok, Indonesia, with particular attention to local communication needs, community perceptions, implementation challenges, and educational requirements. The study employed a qualitative case study design. Data were collected over approximately one month through semi-structured interviews and field observations involving four key informants representing village government, instructor/Pokdarwis, MSME, and the surrounding community. Interview and observation data were coded and thematically analyzed, while source triangulation across stakeholder groups and method triangulation between interviews and observations were used to strengthen credibility. The findings indicate that English is particularly relevant to tourism-related communication, including welcoming visitors, explaining local attractions and culture, providing directions, promoting local products, and conducting service interactions. The data also reveal limited vocabulary and spontaneous communication, low confidence, limited access to tourism-specific materials and qualified instructors, discontinuity of training, and participants’ occupational and family responsibilities. The findings suggest that English language education in Mekar Sari Village should be developed as contextualized English for Specific Purposes (ESP), supported by practical communication activities, continuous mentoring, flexible scheduling, and collaboration among local stakeholders. The study concludes that needs-based English education can function as one component of community capacity building for tourism communication without implying a direct causal effect on tourism outcomes.
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