Preserving Cultural Authenticity Through Green Tourism Management: An Ethnographic Business Study in Kampung Wisata Semanggi, Surabaya, Indonesia

Purpose: This study aims to analyze how cultural authenticity is maintained through sustainable tourism management in Kampung Wisata Semanggi, Surabaya, and to examine how community participation supports the preservation of cultural identity alongside local economic development. Research Method: This study employed a qualitative business ethnography approach in Kampung Wisata Semanggi, Benowo Sub-district, Surabaya. Data were collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews with six purposively selected key informants — a tourism village manager, a Pecel Semanggi business owner, a Bakul Semanggi Gendong vendor, a resident, a youth representative, and a community member responsible for environmental upkeep — documentation, and field notes, conducted over an eight-week fieldwork period between February and March 2026. Data were analyzed using the Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña interactive model, with credibility established through triangulation, member checking, and researcher reflexivity, and contextualized with secondary data from the Surabaya City Government, the Surabaya City Statistics Agency (BPS), and the East Java Provincial Government, Indonesia. Results and Discussion: The findings show that cultural authenticity is preserved through daily cultural practices, intergenerational knowledge transfer, and active community participation. Traditional culinary businesses — involving more than 120 active Pecel Semanggi vendors and over 13 diversified semanggi-based products (Pemerintah Kota Surabaya, 2025) — support both economic development and cultural preservation, while sustainable tourism management strengthens the link between environmental conservation, cultural sustainability, and local economic growth. The study also finds that cultural commodification does not necessarily reduce authenticity when local communities retain control over tourism activities and cultural representation. However, this process is not free of tensions, including risks of staged authenticity and an uneven distribution of economic benefits. Implications: The findings guide policymakers and tourism managers in developing inclusive, culturally sensitive, and environmentally sustainable tourism strategies. Originality: This study contributes by integrating cultural authenticity, community-based tourism, sustainable tourism, and business ethnography within a single analytical framework in the context of Kampung Wisata Semanggi, Surabaya, Indonesia.