Strategic Role of Tourism Students in Sustainable Tour Package Development and Digital Marketing Transformation: A University-Industry Collaboration Model

Small and medium tourism enterprises (SMTEs) face significant challenges in developing sustainable tour packages while implementing effective digital marketing strategies, particularly due to limited human resources and technical capabilities. This study analyzes the strategic role of tourism students in developing sustainable tour packages and implementing digital marketing transformation at CV. Mahkota Borobudur through a university-industry collaboration model. This research employs a qualitative descriptive approach with single case study design involving 15 participants through in-depth interviews, participant observation during 6-month fieldwork, and document analysis. Data analysis followed thematic analysis with triangulation methods. Three key findings emerged: tourism students enhanced product innovation through systematic destination surveys, resulting in three diversified tour packages with improved market appeal; digital marketing implementation through social media platforms achieved broader market reach with improved cost efficiency; and the collaboration model generated mutual benefits, improving students' practical competencies while addressing company's human resource constraints. This study contributes to tourism education literature by demonstrating effectiveness of university-industry partnerships in sustainable tourism development and provides a framework for integrating academic resources into tourism product development and digital marketing transformation.