Students of the English Literature Study Program at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, Nurul Fajriani Ulfahand Ika Dhewi Utami, undertook an internship program at the Yogyakarta City Tourism Office during the period of November 2025 to February 2026. This internship program constituted part of the implementation of contextual learning aimed at developing students’ academic and professional competencies through direct involvement in the tourism industry and cultural communication practices.

Through the internship program, the students were provided with the opportunity to connect theories of language, literature, and intercultural communication acquired during their academic studies with practical applications in the field of tourism. This activity fostered an understanding that tourism is not merely associated with tourist mobility, but also with the process of conveying cultural narratives to both local and international communities.

During the implementation of the internship program, the students were involved in various activities related to culture-based tourism promotion in Yogyakarta City. They learned how each tourism area, ranging from the historical sites of the Yogyakarta Palace to community-based tourism villages, requires appropriate communication strategies and cultural representation to introduce local values to visitors.

The close reading and narrative analysis skills acquired through English Literature studies were applied in the process of identifying tourism potential and developing tourism-related information. The students also gained an understanding of the importance of linguistic sensitivity in translating and delivering cultural information in order to preserve the essence of local culture when introducing it to international tourists.

Furthermore, the internship program provided opportunities for the students to collaborate with various local tourism stakeholders actively involved in the development and promotion of tourism in Yogyakarta City. These stakeholders included Paguyuban Dimas Diajeng Jogja as the tourism ambassadors of Yogyakarta City, Mas Mbak Kampung Wisata, Satuan Karya (Saka) Pariwisata, and the Indonesian Tour Guides Association.

Through such collaborations, the students gained experience in adapting communication strategies to different groups and audiences. Brainstorming activities on tourism promotion conducted together with Dimas Diajeng Jogja and Saka Pariwisata provided insight into creative communication and youth-based tourism promotion. Meanwhile, interactions with Mas Mbak Kampung Wisata enabled the students to understand community-based communication approaches rooted in local society. The students also had the opportunity to observe intercultural communication techniques implemented by professional tour guides from the Indonesian Tour Guides Association.

The internship program at the Yogyakarta City Tourism Office was not solely focused on administrative activities, but also directly involved the students in tourism events and field activities. One of the activities attended by the students was the Launching Branding Kampung Wisata Sosromenduran event held in the Malioboro area.

The event aimed to introduce Kampung Wisata Sosromenduran as one of the strategic tourism areas located at the gateway of Malioboro, possessing distinctive cultural identity and tourism potential. The event was attended and officially inaugurated by Hasto Wardoyo in his capacity as the Mayor of Yogyakarta.

Through participation in the event, the students obtained direct experience regarding tourism event management, destination branding strategies, and intercultural communication in tourism promotion. They also observed how traditional tourism areas preserve local cultural values while simultaneously building an image that is acceptable to both domestic and international tourists.

The implementation of this internship program contributed significantly to the development of students’ competencies, particularly in the fields of intercultural communication, narrative analysis, tourism promotion, and professional field practices. The program also broadened the students’ understanding of career prospects for English Literature graduates within the tourism sector and creative industries.

Through these experiences, the students are expected to become adaptive and professional cultural communicators capable of bridging local cultural heritage with global communities. This internship program also reflects the commitment of the English Literature Study Program at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta in supporting experiential learning and the development of student competencies in accordance with the demands of today’s professional world. (MIM/HFS)