It is jember 's destiny to become a city of plantation, Around 1850, George Birnie, a dutch of Scottish descent, opened a tobacco plantation at jember and sold their products to Europe, Birnie employed some people from Blitar and Madura. Birnie did not only plant tobacco as a raw material for cigarettes, but also coffe, rubber and chocolate. later jember became a research center for coffee and chocolate. in the 19th century, Jember is a part of Bondowoso regency. The plants were cultivated along the Argopuro mountain slope.
Beside tobacco, coffee, rubber, and chocolate, Jember also produced sugar cane. At Semboro sub district, a sugar company was established in 1920s which is still running up to now. As plantation area Jember becomes a favorite tourist destination for foreign tourist, especially the dutch, who wish to have a nostalgic experience. Until the area became nationalized in 1958, the dutch used to manage the plantation. until now, some colonial buildings formed nearby the plantation area are still being maintained and show contemporary heritage.
the plantation are essential assets to promote agricultural tourism. today, people need a rest from their daily routines, and going back to nature seems to become an objective. in the plantation tourism project, people can walk around to see the production process of tobacco, sugar, or chocolate. This agricultural tourism project introduces us to something new which we owned a lot of from nature.
