IGEOS4TH IGEOS: International Geography Seminar and PIT IGI 2020

Local Aspiration About Tourism. What People Thought About Their Living Space and How Far Do They Want to Participate in Tourism Sector

Authors: Dian Equanti1, Galuh Bayuardi2, Agus Suwarno3

Affiliation: 1,2,3 Geographic Education Program of IKIP PGRI Pontianak

I. Introduction and Literature Review

• Abstract.

• Tourism areas are generally managed by a handful of capital owners who are in charge ofdetermining how to organize and run tourism activities. People who live around the tourist areararely have the opportunity to voice their aspirations. Due to this lack of local people aspirationlead into the low participation of the community in the tourism sector around, as happened in theBatu Burung Beach of Singkawang City, West Kalimantan Province, Indonesia.

• This study intends to identify local people’s aspirations about tourism in multiphase research,started with a survey which was then followed by a Focus Group Discussion of local communitiesaround the Batu Burung Beach tourist area. The results of this study reveal people's perceptionsabout their living space as tourism destination; as well as whether and how do they want toparticipate in tourism sector.

• Keywords: local people, tourism, aspiration

I. Introduction and Literature Review

• The Singkawang District is one of famous tourist destination in West Kalimantan.People come to experience unique culture, and enjoy the beaches that lay alongthe west coast of South Singkawang City. Official Youth, Art and Tourism Serviceof Singkawang District acknowledges 5 beaches: there are Palm Beach, TanjungBajau Beach, Sinka Zoo and Beach, dan Batu Burung Beach.

• Located in Sedau Village at South Singkawang District, Batu Burung Beach isbecome one of newly alternative tourist object, managed by local community.

• In the preliminary investigation in January 2019, we found that this area wasmanaged by only a kinship business which then was claimed as initiator of BatuBurung Beach.

• Tourism areas are generally managed by a handful of capital owners who are incharge of determining how to organize and run tourism activities.

• Land tenure as well as a capital dominance will give a privilege to a particularpersons in a community. This group of people have a power relation among peopleto decide what should do about the land and their living space.

• People who live around the tourist area almost did not have any opportunity tovoice their aspirations.

• This unfacilitated voice of local community lead into people’s low participation intourism sector in Batu Burung Beach.

• Since most of the surrounding land of Batu Burung Beach has been sold andowned by outsiders, there is only a small part of the beach available to manage bythe people.

Literature review

• In the context of community initiatives to solve problems, it is necessary to support village assets as mentioned by Muta'ali (2013: 133-134), namely human capital, social capital, natural capital, physical capital, and financial capital.

• Aspiration is a strong desire or aspiration. In another sense, aspiration is the hope of a better change with the aim of achieving success in the future. Aspirations will direct individual activities to focus more on achieving these goals (Slameto, 2003: 183).

• According to Reber & Reber (2010: 72) aspiration means "desire, hope, the purpose of which someone wants to achieve and strive for it". In terms of ideas, the concept of aspiration means a number of verbal ideas / ideas from any level of society.

• Local aspiration in this research refers to local people’s thought and desire about the authority to manage their environment; perception of tourists coming; responsibility of environment sustainability; and how far do they want to participate in tourism sectors.

2. Methods

• The research conducted is descriptive research. The research method used is a mixed method , namely research that uses a variety of different data collection procedures to research a related study.

• It was conducted in multiphase study;

• First phase is survey study (quantitative method) which was intended to identify local aspiration abouttourism. Aspiration data was collected using questionnaire asked to the respondents directly.

• The second phase is qualitative method that explore what people thought about their living space; and how fardo they want to participate in tourism sectors. The explanation was based on drawing conclusion obtainedfrom in-depth interview and Focus on Group Discussion.

• Local people participated in this research were 53 respondents who lived in the nearest settlements of BatuBurung Beach. Of respondents, 17 % are farmers, 32% are fishermen; 28,3 % work on formal sectors (9,4%civil servants and 18,9% private business workers).

• In the second sequential research, some of respondents were invited to discuss what people thought about thistourism. 15 people attended, they shared about desire, expectation of the people in case they want toparticipate in tourism sectors around.

3. Result and Discussion

1. Local Aspiration about Tourism

• Table 1. Who Should Manage Tourism Area?

Responds Valid Percent (%)

Investor 9,4

Government 28,3

Local People 60,4

Not Stated 1,9

Total 100

More than a half of respondents (60 percent)

stated that local people should manage the

tourism area. The survey results indicate that

more than half of the respondents think that

tourism management should be carried out

by the community themselves. This choice

is an early indication of the community's

desire to be involved in tourism

management.

Those who choose government are 28.3 percent, and private investors are 9.4 percent shows that some of them wanted a more capital based tourism management. The experiences assumed that tourism objects managed more powerful institutions and investors potent to be more developed might become their consideration.

3. Result and Discussion

2. Perception About Tourists Presence

• Table 2. Perception About Tourists PresenceOne in three people thought tourist attendance were

just an ordinary thing. It implies that the presence of

tourists is normal, something that is understandable,

is neutral. It also tells that local people get used to

foreigners who come into their neighbourhood. It

also shows the early readiness of local people as host

of tourism destination. In this first stage, the local

people understand that a lot of people outside may

come to visit their living space.

Responds Valid Percent (%)

Annoying 5,7

Just ordinary 34,0

Give economic benefit 37,7

Positive social impact 22,6

Total 100

The significant response number of favorable tourist presence, both economically and socially, will lead

into welcoming attitude of local people to the visitors.

3. Result and Discussion

3. The desire to participate in tourism sector

• Table 3. The desire to participate in tourism sector arround

The desire to participate in tourism sector come

from choices the people already known as Batu

Burung attraction, plus some new ideas.

Not stated respondents were 35,9 percent means 1

in every 3 respondents were not interested to take

part in tourism sector. In other words, this nature-

based tourism is considered attractive to rest of

64,1 percent or more than a third of respondents

surveyed. Tourism sector is deemed unattractive,

possibly due to low income it produces. Tourism

management seems not promising into a good

progress, beside another reason that most of

respondents have other livelihood activities (as

follows: 7 % are farmers, 32% are fishermen; 28,3

% work on formal sectors (9,4% civil servants and

18,9% private business workers).

Responds Valid Percent(%)

Sell typical foods and souvenirs 7,5

Sell foods and beverages 34,0

Provide accommodation service 7,5

Provide boat rent services 13,2

Local guide 1,9

Not stated 35,9

Total 100

3. Result and Discussion

4. What the People Thought of Their Living Space and How Far Do They Want to Participate in

Tourism Sector?

Initiator aspiration

• As we interviewed, Mr W wish that one day visitors would have good impressing memories, the

experience they brought from the scenery, or souvenirs, or a unique attraction. The name Batu Burung

Beach given upon his idea inspired from huge large rocks disperse along the beach and pigeons that

nest on the beach.

• He also told us in the prior interview that he purposely planted ketapang and pine needles along the

coast. On the Ketapang trees, bird perches are made and feed. These perches lure any birds that stopped

into the beach to nest.

3. Result and Discussion

4. What the People Thought of Their Living Space and How Far Do They Want to Participate in

Tourism Sector?

Local People’s aspiration

• Most said additional income from tourism activities. The income is obtained from the sale of food and

beverages, parking, boat rental.

• People wanted that tourism area managed by them self. According to them, the experience of tourism

areas which is controlled by investors might alienates local people from their own environment. FGD

participants told that they were not allowed to enter areas that became the territories of tourism

investors.

• There is an internal conflict between residents. This is because the initiator who manage Batu Burung

prohibits other residents from accessing land to have economic activity such as build little shop, selling

foods and beverages.

3. Result and Discussion

4. What the People Thought of Their Living Space and How Far Do They Want to Participate in

Tourism Sector?

Tourism Officials’ Statement

• Internal conflict caused the Sedau’s ( Sedau is the name of Village where Batu Burung Beach is

located_red.) POKDARWIS has been not formed. Since the requirements of representative number of

members incorporated in the community acknowledged by the local authorities were not fulfilled. The

City of Singkawang Tourism Office expressed its objection to intervening in mediating this problem,

because it was not part of the main duties and functions of government officials from the Tourism

Office. According to him, people must solve their own problems.

4. Conclusion

1. There is an early indication of the community's desire to be involved in tourism management.

2. The local people have early readiness of local people as host of tourism destination. In this first stage, the local people understand that a lot of people outside may come to visit their living space.

3. This nature-based tourism is considered attractive to rest of 64,1 percent or more than a third of respondents surveyed.

4. It is important for residents to improve the harmony between residents, the community needs to resolve existing horizontal conflicts.

5. The initiator of Batu Burung already has awarness and eco-tourism, it should be followed by encourage this idea to be socialized among others local people who involved in tourism activity. Since "it takes a village" who keep their ecosystem to run such kind of tourism that balance between economically and environmentally beneficial.

References

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2. Muta’ali, Lutfi. 2013. Pengembangan Wilayah Perdesaan (Perspektif Keruangan). Yogyakarta: Badan PenerbitanFakultas Geografi, Universitas Gadjah Mada.

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8. Undang-undang Nomor 6 Tahun 2014 Tentang Desa