Posted by: Rivandi Pranandita Putra (03/ 03/ 2014)
(Source of image: http://www.thejakartapost.com/travel/2017/04/10/asita-believes-tourism-ministry-increasing-indonesian-tourism.html)
(PS: I wrote this essay to apply for the 3rd NIDA Summer Camp in Bangkok, Thailand)
YOGYAKARTA, INDONESIA – Tourism is one of important sectors in Indonesia since it may strengthen income and economic condition. As a big tropical and archipelago country, Indonesia has many beautiful and memorable tourism places to visit. Malioboro and Parangtritis Beach in Yogyakarta, Sanur and Kuta Beaches in Bali, Toba Lake in North Sumatera, and Rinjani Mountain are the examples of the most popular places for domestic and international tourists. Tourists, mostly international tourists who come from winter country are always love to come to tropical countries like in ASEAN, include Indonesia to feel the heat of sun and see the blue sky. Not just having many good tourism places, Indonesia also has big diversity of cultural tourism objects. The Prambanan and Borobudur temple in Central Java are the example of the favorite cultural tourism objects in Indonesia. A very beautiful landscape, high historical value, and addition of traditional legends/ myths are the reasons which can explain why many tourists always love to come and spend his/ her time there. But now, the question is, are there any challenges that may obtain tourism sector in Indonesia to be sustainable? Or we just satisfy with nowadays tourism situation? Do we need to apply more strategies for pursuing more tourists to visit many tourisms objects in Indonesia?
Indonesia with its high diversity and richness of tourism objects should be maintaining
tourisms sector well. However, striking the balance between economic growth and sustainable development is proving to be a serious challenge for the Indonesian government. Fact says that tourisms in many regions in Indonesia are still facing some problems. According to my opinion, there are four main problems that cause tourists don’t pretend to explore many tourism objects in Indonesia. Firstly, bad infrastructure and minimum facilities in many tourism places in Indonesia. As I know, many tourism places in Indonesia are not having good toilets, family rest places, etc. Second, the number of transportations is sometimes not enough for accessing the tourism places. This condition is especially happening in East Indonesia region, such as in Nusa Tenggara, Papua, Maluku, and Sulawesi. The number of flights and voyages are sometimes not as many as the tourists. Also, land access from airports or harbors to tourism object is sometimes difficult. Third problem is less promotion from the local people and government. Lombok in Nusa Tenggara, for example, is not more popular than Bali. Why? Because I think that promotion for visiting Lombok is not good as Bali. I really believe not all tourists who visiting Indonesia know Lombok, but I believe most of them know Bali. Last but not least, is about the environmental issues problem. Talking about this issue, I often see that the management and protection of environmental aspect in many tourism places in Indonesia is still low. For example, in Parangtritis beach in Yogyakarta, I often see people throw rubbish everywhere. In Semeru Mountain in East Java, I also often see people broken some plants and trees. Of course, this behaviour is not good since it can bring adverse effects for the environment.
In solving the problems, I offer some solutions that possible to be applied by government and/ or local people. First solution is by improving the facilities or infrastructure in the tourism objects. Stakeholders should provide excellent facilities around the tourism objects that can make all tourists feel comfortable when visiting that place. For example, providing clean and enough toilets, restaurant complex, hotels, nice poster contains tourism description, build family rest areas, big parking areas for vehicles, souvenir shops etc. Second solution is by build good access from cities/ airports/ harbors to the tourism objects. Stakeholders may have initiatives to build good streets which connecting the tourism objects to other regions. Not only improving quality of street, but quality of airports and/or harbors facilities should be improved. Stakeholders can manage it better. Adding some facilities, such as free wi-fi access, clean toilets, free drink water facilities, shop and restaurant complex are important. Third solution is never stopping doing promotions about the tourism objects. This can be done by local people or government, or even synergy of both of them. I think there are so many ways to doing promotions about a tourism objects, such as applying cheap retribution ticket to enter the place and doing collaboration to advertise the tourism objects with region, national, or international media (television channel, magazines, newspapers, etc.), and making the official website that easy to access. The website may describe all things about the tourism objects. And the fourth solution is regarding with the environment. Governments may also implementing ecotourism promotion, which is means that tourists are aware of the responsibility they have through locals and the environment. Ecotourism is about uniting conservation, communities, and sustainable travel. This means that those who implement and participate in ecotourism activity should follow the ecotourism principles, such as minimize bad impact, build environmental and cultural awareness and respect, provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts, provide direct financial benefits for conservation, provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people, and raise sensitivity to host countries’ political, environmental, and also social climate.
Besides the richness of tourism objects, Indonesia is actually has other strength. For
international tourists, they have advantage about “saving money”. This happen because
Indonesia money (Indonesian Rupiah) has low position in world kurs. As an example, if we convert 1 US Dollar to Indonesian Rupiah in money changer, we will get around 12 thousand rupiah. With that amount of money, we can eat delicious Indonesian food and drink or buying some traditional souvenirs. Let’s imagine how international tourists is become very rich persons in Indonesia!!! That’s become one reason why international tourists love visiting Indonesia, especially Bali Island. As I know in some tourism objects, international tourists love to do shopping activities here. So, I can add one more solution for stakeholders. They can provide more Indonesian food restaurants and souvenirs shops near the tourism places, so it can build mutual relationship between local people/ government, and the tourists. Tourists have more choices to buy any souvenirs and local people can receive more money.
Since tourism is a part of important sector in Indonesia, how to make it sustainable is
became very important. Also, many people in Indonesia work from this sector. By implementing those solutions, I believe it can pursue more domestic and international tourists visiting and exploring many tourism objects in Indonesia. I believe that keeping the environment based on ecotourism principles, improving facilities and infrastructures, and doing promotions are the three main keys for empower tourism sector in my country, Indonesia.
Rivandi Pranandita Putra's Story 