Sustainable tourism needs to be developed because the benefits from this sector can be enjoyed by the society directly. So, it is just right that the government launches tourism as a core business.
“Amidst the decreasing prices of commodities - oil, coal, oil palm - the one that is not is tourism. This sector is actually easy to do with a not too big capital, just the potential of regions that needs to be exposed,” said Dr. Hari Untoro Drajat, expert staff from Tourism Ministry at UGM Graduate School on Thursday (29/9) during the second International Academic Conference on Tourism 2016 (INTACT). Hari Untoro said with community base, cultural base, etc, tourism that is based on people-to-people contact will produce benefits for society. For example, on community base, pinisi boats need to be enhanced. “We need to develop live boats, such as pinisi boats, because the benefits will go to the society,” he said.
International Academic Conference on Tourism 2016 is hosted by Centre for Tourism Studies UGM in collaboration with Higher Learning Directorate, Tourism Ministry and PT. Lintas Ekowisata Indonesia. The event was opened by Rector of UGM, Prof. Ir. Dwikorita Karnawati, M.Sc., Ph.D. It presented speakers, such as Prof. Richard Butler, Dr. Michael Lueck and Prof. Heddy Shri Ahimsa-Putra, Dr. Frans Teguh, prof. Jamaludin Jompa, and Maulita Sari Hani Hutapea, M. Tourism.
UGM Vice-Rector for Cooperation and Alumni, Dr. Paripurna P. Sugarda, S.H., L.L.M, welcome the hosting of INTACT 2016. He said Indonesia was a nation with high levels of cultural diversity and marine biotas. The country is also rich with tourism potential, such as beaches, volcanoes, etc.
Paripurna admitted that accommodations, transportation, and investment are important. But no less important is direct utilisation for the surrounding community. Therefore, UGM focuses on developing tourism objects to prevent people from getting marginalised.
"For instance, our student community service in Raja Ampat Papua tried to give added value to tourism. Tourism has to be embedded with creative economy, which is business development,” said Paripurna.
Senior researcher from the Centre, Dr. Adjie Koesworo, said archipelago tourism apart from economic activity also generates psychological, religious and cultural benefits. It is because the essence of human in travel is to complement humanity in the context to make archipelagic nation. “This needs to be developed further, apart from economic opportunity, we can also get non-economic dimensions at the same time,” he said.