By Valid Hasyimi, Santi Novani and Hossny Azizalrahman, King Abdulaziz University
BANDUNG, Oct 5 (Reuters) – Surakarta, an Indonesian city at the crossroads of bustling Yogyakarta and East Java, has long been a popular tourist spot. Tourism has historically contributed to this more than 25 percent of the city’s GDP. Covid-19 put an end to the rapid growth of tourism in Surakata, but it is now recovering and turning to sustainability.
In 2020, Indonesia experienced one Waste in the number of foreign tourists of 75 percent and 30 percent of domestic tourists, affecting some 34 million Indonesians whose income depends on the tourism sector and creative industries.
As tourists return to Surakarta, researchers have built one frame to help the city grow sustainably.
For example as City plays an important role in cultural tourismparticularly as a pool for innovation and creativity in promoting cultural products and experiences, it could prioritize local communities to embrace culture in alternative ways.
City guides can consolidate alliances with technology and media partners and develop tourism experiences based on the cultural uniqueness of destinations across multiple domains, including cultural heritage, gastronomy, design patterns and other forms of local cultural expression.
In order to maintain the sustainability of local economic development, the municipality could consider a communication platform to encourage co-creation and achieve greater involvement of local communities.
Municipalities can provide support guidelines, such as B. Supporting local business owners with business coaching and financial support; ensure that a fair share of total tourism spending is distributed locally; Prioritizing hiring local workers and strengthening local supply chains.
The community could promote Surakarta’s inherent strengths as a city rich in cultural assets and its strategic location for investment. Cooperation between Surakarta and its surrounding areas would improve connectivity through the integration of public transport systems.
Surakarta is also in a prime position address the participation of women in community-based tourism that brings even more benefits to families and communities. Since tourism is highly seasonal and may not be a major source of income for the neighborhood, cities could encourage women entrepreneurs and offer them social and legal protection in a society where men are responsible for the work and women for the care of the home and the Children.
Relying on tourism as the family’s main source of income is risky. So when women are encouraged to own a small business, they can be more productive, generate extra income, and schedule their work hours flexibly while taking care of the home and children.
Surakarta Government could increase support by formulating relevant regulations and strengthening education, promoting local character, and helping in arranging tours, internet marketing and social media. of Indonesia The digital transition can play an important role in attracting more tourism to the country.
Once a royal city, Surakarta has an opportunity to stand out from other built-up areas, but only with a clear strategy and plan of action. Data summarizing who is actively working in the tourism sector is also very important for providing training support and economic incentives.
As global tourism destinations begin to welcome tourists back, cultural tourism cities play an important role as the main gateway for other travel Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE).
COVID-19 taught us the risks of being heavily dependent on the tourism sector. Mistakes are made in poorly paid seasonal jobs, traffic jams and expensive infrastructure that depends on intensive tourism. As the local economy remains vulnerable to global crises, natural disasters and pandemics, sustainable tourism offers a way out.
Valid Hasyimi is doing his PhD at the School of Business Management at Bandung Institute of Technology, Indonesia. Hossny Azizalrahman is Associate Professor at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Santi Novani is a Lecturer at the School of Business Management, Bandung Institute of Technology, Indonesia.
Article courtesy of 360info.
