UiTM and USU drive socio-economic growth through Red Ginger Innovation in Medan

This article documents and analyses the implementation of the International Community Service Programme led by the Faculty of Hotel and Tourism Management (FPHP), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Penang Branch, in collaboration with the Vocational Faculty of Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), Indonesia. Held at the GranDhika Hotel, Setiabudi, Medan, on 5 May 2026, the programme focused on a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on the dissemination of the Red Ginger Candy innovation and Community-Based Tourism (CBT) initiatives. This strategic mission aimed to empower the local community of Dalig Raya through knowledge transfer, economic sustainability, and the establishment of global strategic partnerships by bridging the gap between academic research and grassroots industry needs. The involvement of various stakeholders, including government agencies from the Simalungun district and corporate sector representatives, demonstrated that this cross-border academic–industry synergy can transform local agricultural resources into high-value commercial products while fostering sustainable social impact.